Dupuytren's Contracture Surgery

Dupuytren's Contracture surgery is treatment designed to straighten the fingers which have been bent by this particular medical condition.

There are three different Dupuytren's Contracture treatment options - needle fasciotomy, fasciectomy and dermafasciectomy.

Needle fasciotomy involves inserting a needle into several places along your palm and finger to loosen and straighten it. In a fasciectomy, the surgeon will make a cut along the length of the palm and finger in order to straighten it. Dermafasciectomy is similar to a fasciectomy, except an additional area of skin is removed from the treatment area. As part of this procedure, a skin graft is taken from elsewhere in the body to replace the skin that has been removed.

There are pros and cons to each procedure. A dermafasciectomy involves two procedures (straightening the fingers and a skin graft) meaning it has a longer recovery time. In comparison, a needle fasciotomy is considerably less invasive and you can expect to have recovered within two weeks. But the dermafasciectomy and fasciectomy procedures have the lowest risk of Dupuytren's Contracture returning.

These procedures will be discussed at length with your surgeon who will decide the best course of action.

Dupuytren's contracture is a condition that causes a thickening of the deep tissue that passes from the palm to the fingers. This thickening means the tissue is less flexible.

Symptoms usually start as a small nodule or pit in the palm of the hand, which can then develop into cords of tissue that pull the fingers back towards the palm (the contracture).

As it progresses, Dupuytren's contracture can cause one or more fingers to bend in towards your palm.

It mainly affects the ring and little fingers, but any of your fingers or thumbs may display the symptoms of the Dupuytren’s. You can experience symptoms in both hands at the same time.

The condition progresses slowly over many months or years. There is no cure for the condition but in severe cases Dupuytren's surgery can straighten the affected fingers. Treatment may not help in the early stages of the condition. Not all patients will develop contractures and some may be monitored only.

It is not known exactly what causes Dupuytren's Contracture to develop, but it is believed that the condition may run in families. There is evidence to suggest that the condition may also be linked to nutritional deficiencies, diabetes and certain medications used to treat epileptic seizures.

The condition has also been linked to excessive alcohol intake and smoking. This is believed to be down to the microscopic changes within the blood vessels caused by smoking.

There is a certain demographic which is considered to be at a higher risk of developing Dupuytren's Contracture. The condition usually starts in middle age and is more common in men than women. You are also at a higher risk of developing Dupuytren’s Contracture if you have a Scandinavian or Northern European background. The condition is most commonly found in people whose families come from these regions.

At this current time, there is no evidence to suggest that Dupuytren's Contracture is caused by hand injuries. People who work in occupations that involve vibrations to the hands, such as construction work, are not believed to be at an increased risk of developing the condition.

It is not known whether Dupuytren's Contracture can be prevented or if you can stop it from coming back permanently. Dupuytren’s Contracture does not go away on its own.