Is there a long term bad side effect of trigger thumb surgery?

Very uncommonly seen: Maybe an injury to the nerve or tendon which can complicate the surgery of releasing the triggering. Not doing the surgery can cause you to lose the motion/ strength in your hand, like in grasping, holding, as pain can make you drop things commonly. Surgery is recommended without reservation. Good luck.

Trigger digits: Thumbs, fingers are typically repsonsive to corticosteroid injections. For those that are not or are associated with a more severe triggering or a fixed contracture or a tendon adherance or are just resistent to treatment and are uncomfortable, surgical release can work well. While any procedure can have a complication or side effect, in general the procedure works well.