Dupuytren`s Contracture Pictures Photos

Once your wound heals, you will likely need physical therapy for a few months. A physiotherapist will teach you exercises that will help you regain the strength and movement of your fingers. Even with a successful operation, dupuytren contracture can return. If this is the case, you may need a different procedure. Although reports of Dupuytren`s contracture first appeared in the medical literature in the 1600s, doctors still do not know what causes scar tissue to form. The disease tends to work in families, so genes may be involved. Dupuytren is more common in middle age, especially in men of Northern European descent. Alcohol and tobacco use, diabetes and epilepsy also increase the risk. Dupuytren contracture (du-pwe-TRANZ) is a condition that gradually causes the connective tissue (fascia) to thicken under the skin of your palm and heal. Although Dupuytrens is not always painful, it restricts movement. The thickened fabric forces several fingers – usually your ring and little fingers – to roll towards your palm. The curvature caused by the thick tissue is called contracture. Your doctor can usually tell if you have Dupuytren by palpating to thicken the scar tissue and seeing if your fingers are pulling inward.

You can also have a “table” test where you place your hand on a table with the palm facing down to see if it is flat. If this is not the case, you may have a contracture that may require surgery. Your doctor may also test your grip and range of motion in your fingers. If the symptoms of contracture are severe enough to interfere with daily life, surgery may help. During the procedure, your surgeon removes the thickened tissue from your palm, allowing the fingers to move again. Surgery can usually restore you to normal exercise, but risks may include infections and nerve damage. The tissue nodules on the palm of the hand gradually expand into thin bands of collagen. These collagen ligaments gradually extend upwards, usually in the ring and little fingers. When the ligaments tighten, they pull the fingers towards the palm of your hand, making it difficult to stretch your fingers. Although the fingers of both hands can be affected, one hand is usually worse than the other. Corticosteroid injections can relieve pain and inflammation and slow the disease.

Doctors may also inject enzymes into the palm of the hand to weaken collagen ligaments. Then your hand will be moved by your doctor until the ligaments are broken and your fingers can be straightened. Other treatments may include needle aponevotomy, in which the contracted ligaments are divided with small injection needles. Radiotherapy is also being studied as a treatment and has been successful in several small studies. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. American Association for Hand Surgery. Benson, L. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, January/February 1998. , L.

The New England Journal of Medicine, September 2009. Nationale Gesundheitsinstitute. Presbyterian Hospital of New York. UCSF Medical Center. (1) © 2010 Nucleus Medical Media. All rights reserved. (2) Steve Pomberg / WebMD (3) Britt Erlanson / Cultura (4) © American College of Rheumatology (5) SPL / Photo Researchers, Inc. (6) Steve Pomberg / WebMD (7) Christine Balderas / iStock Exclusive (8) DreamPictures / Photodisc (9) Comstock At first, the skin on the palm of your hand begins to thicken. The skin may appear pinched when knots (nodules) of hard tissue form on your palm. These nodules may seem tender, but they are usually not painful.

Thickening of the skin usually occurs very slowly. You don`t need treatment unless your symptoms bother you. Because Dupuytren constantly bends his fingers in a fixed position, it can become difficult to grasp large objects and perform simple movements such as washing his face or putting on gloves. However, the condition usually doesn`t affect your ability to write and grasp small objects, as your thumb and index finger are usually not affected. .