Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41752926›Full record

ArticleLife (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Toward a Phenotype-Driven Continuum Model in Trigger Finger: Proposing a Sonographic Framework for Personalized Management.

Sang-Hyun Kim, Jihyo Hwang, Yonghyun Yoon, Jaeik Choi, Gyungseog Ko, Hyeongjik Kim, Dongyeun Sung, Rowook Park, Jaehyun Shim, Jonghyeok Lee and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Life (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Sang-Hyun KimCollege of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University, 443, Samnye-ro, Samnye-eup, Wanju_gun, Jeonju 55338, Republic of Korea.
Jihyo HwangDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 1 Singil-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 07441, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-9141-9856
Yonghyun YoonDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 1 Singil-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 07441, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0001-8746-3718
Jaeik ChoiInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.
Gyungseog KoInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.
Hyeongjik KimInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.
Dongyeun SungInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.
Rowook ParkInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.
Jaehyun ShimInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.
Jonghyeok LeeInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.
Seungbeom KimInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.
Youngmo KimInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.
King Hei Stanley LamInternational Academy of Regenerative Medicine, Inha-ro 489beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon 21574, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0003-1392-829X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe traditional A1-centric paradigm for trigger finger (TF) management does not fully capture heterogeneous pathology spanning isolated pulley stenosis, tendon degeneration, and impaired tendon-sheath gliding.

methodsA comprehensive literature synthesis (2010-2025) integrating anatomy, biomechanics, and ultrasound-guided interventions was performed to develop a testable, phenotype-driven framework.

resultsA continuum model is proposed emphasizing (i) origin-to-insertion assessment of the flexor apparatus, (ii) pragmatic ultrasound phenotyping into pulley-dominant, tendon-dominant, and mixed patterns, and (iii) a stepwise, phenotype-matched management pathway incorporating conservative care, ultrasound-guided injection, selected adjuncts (e.g., hydrodissection, prolotherapy, ESWT) for tendon-dominant or mixed presentations, and percutaneous or open release when an A1 bottleneck is confirmed.

conclusionsThis framework is presented as a hypothesis to guide standardized reporting, reliability testing, and phenotype-stratified comparative trials, rather than as a validated clinical guideline. This article proposes a novel, phenotype-driven clinical framework to address this limitation. Contemporary evidence is integrated to construct a model emphasizing (i) a whole-length, origin-to-insertion assessment of the flexor apparatus, (ii) sonographic phenotyping into pulley-dominant, tendon-dominant, and mixed patterns, and (iii) a stepwise treatment algorithm integrating conservative care, ultrasound-guided injections, ultrasound-guided percutaneous release, and selected adjunctive approaches such as hydrodissection (HD), prolotherapy (Prolo), and extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT). While evidence supports individual modalities, the framework's primary innovation lies in matching interventions to phenotype. This sonographic phenotyping system is presented not as a validated tool, but as a testable hypothesis designed to guide future validation studies. The proposed framework establishes research priorities, including standardized criteria, reliability testing, and comparative effectiveness research for phenotype-stratified management.

Indexed as

A1 pulleysonographic phenotypingstenosing tenosynovitistrigger fingerultrasonographyultrasound-guided interventions

Identifiers

PMID41752926
PMCPMC12941832

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.