Welcome to another exciting edition of the SBH EM Residency Question of the Week!
A 45 yo male with a PMH of DM, HTN, and HLD presents to SBH ED with a swollen first digit. He recalls puncturing his finger with a tool he was using to repair his motorcycle. You suspect that patient has a flexor tenosynovitis. What are the four cardinal signs of this presentation?
There are four cardinal signs of a flexor tenosynovitis also known as Kanavel’s signs. These include:
- Flexed posture of the involved digit
- Fusiform swelling of the finger
- Tenderness over the flexor tendon sheath
- Pain with passive extension