Surgical release of de Quervain's stenosing tenosynovitis postpartum: can it wait?

We compared the efficacy of conservative management of de Quervain's disease in 30 women postpartum (group 1) and 30 nonpregnant women (group 2). All patients underwent conservative management consisting of 2 weeks of splinting of the affected wrist, followed by physiotherapy and antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Clinical evaluation was performed using a functional score and the visual analogue scale (VAS) of Scott-Huskinson at entry to the study, 1 month later, and at a follow-up of 6 months. Conservative management gave good results in patients in group 1. At the 6-month follow-up a significant difference between the two groups on pain and function was evident. Only one patient in group 1 versus 25 patients in group 2 underwent surgery because of failure of conservative management.