De Quervain's tenosynovitis has a typical course that is best described as which of the following?

De Quervain's tenosynovitis has a typical course that is best described as which of the following?

• A. Resolves within days
• B. Course can last up to a year
• C. Always requires surgery
• D. Not related to hand use and repetitive strain

Answer: (C)

De Quervain's tenosynovitis is a stenosing problem of the first dorsal (thumb-side) tendon compartment that commonly results from repetitive thumb and wrist movement. The natural history is not a brief, self-limited event; symptoms often persist for weeks to months and can be chronic, potentially lasting up to a year or more if not adequately treated. Importantly, surgery is not required for all patients; many improve with nonoperative care such as thumb-spica splinting, NSAIDs, and sometimes a local corticosteroid injection, with surgery reserved for those who fail conservative treatment. So the best description of its typical course among the options is that the course can last up to a year, reflecting possible chronicity despite nonoperative management.

De Quervain's tenosynovitis is a stenosing problem of the first dorsal (thumb-side) tendon compartment that commonly results from repetitive thumb and wrist movement. The natural history is not a brief, self-limited event; symptoms often persist for weeks to months and can be chronic, potentially lasting up to a year or more if not adequately treated. Importantly, surgery is not required for all patients; many improve with nonoperative care such as thumb-spica splinting, NSAIDs, and sometimes a local corticosteroid injection, with surgery reserved for those who fail conservative treatment. So the best description of its typical course among the options is that the course can last up to a year, reflecting possible chronicity despite nonoperative management.