Is there a relation between carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger?

Idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common upper limb entrapment neuropathy. The prevalence in the general population is 2.7%. Trigger digit is also a common clinical disorder, which is characterized by painful locking of the involved digit. Both disorders are important causes of occupational absenteeism and disability, and often coexist in the same hand. Trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome together are in all probability the most common conditions treated by a hand surgeon. Previous studies have suggested a significant concurrence rate between these conditions, but the implications of this have not been fully explored. Some studies hypothesize that surgery for one entity will cause the other or that the carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with the appearance of trigger digits as a separate entity. The etiology of both TF and CTS is unknown. It is possible that there is a common etiology present in many cases, and the relationship to diabetes may help shed light on this. The goal of this study is to quantify the rate of trigger fingers after open carpal tunnel release.