What Is Dupuytren’s Contracture?
Dupuytren’s Contracture, sometimes referred to as Dupuytren’s Disease, is a rare genetic disorder affecting around 5% of people, being particularly prevalent in people of European descent. A possible treatment is needle aponeurotomy.
This disease is characterized by the thickening and tightening of the tissue under palms and fingers, and there’s no known cure for it, although there’s a variety of treatment options available for afflicted patients.
While symptoms usually take months or even years to begin manifesting and advancing, if left unchecked, they can significantly lessen a person’s quality of life and autonomy.
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Symptoms of Dupuytren’s Contracture
As previously mentioned, Dupuytren’s disease’s symptomps can take months or years to develop, so initially, afflicted patients don’t notice anything out of the ordinary. However, the symptomps for this disease tend to appear in the following order:
- Nodules: The emergence of little “bumps” under the skin on the palm is the first indicative of Dupuytren’s disease, usually appearing at the base of the fingers, where they meet the palm. They might be visible or could be felt by the patient, and can make the skin around them seem puckered.
- Cords: Eventually, these bumps, or nodules, can thicken into long cords of tissue in the hand’s fascia. These cords pull on the fingers, making them feel like they’re being constantly pulled in.
- Contracture: This is the most advanced symptom of Dupuytren’s Contracture, giving the disease its name. Contracture occurs when the cords thicken and tighten so much that they make impossible to straighten or extend the affected fingers away from the palm.
In some rare cases, patients might experience additional symptoms, like swelling, pain, burning, itching, or tenderness in the affected area. It’s worth mentioning that some people never progress through all the stages of symptoms.
There is no definitive cause for this disease, and it’s considered a genetic disorder, as it has been proven that patients with a family history of Dupuytren’s Contracture are the more likely to develop it themselves, particularly among males of European descent.
Treating Dupuytren’s Contracture with Needle Aponeurotomy
In case that a patient’s symptoms show no sign of improvement after a period of conservative treatments, a healthcare provider may prescribe Needle Aponeurotomy, or percutaneous needle fasciotomy, as it is also known. This is an expeditive procedure that can be performed in the same office where a patient is being treated.
For this procedure, the medical professional cleans the affected hand and fingers, prior to injecting an anesthethic to numb the area. Then, a needle is inserted into the affected tissue in order to poke tiny holes to release the pull on the fingers. Sometimes, cortizone injections are also used to shrink and soften nodules.
While this procedure is virtually painless, the patient’s fingers might be numb for several hours afterwards, with a slight tingling in the fingers during the coming days. Swelling might also be present, which can be reduced by applying ice on the area.
Main Benefits of Needle Aponeurotomy
While the treatment for Dupuytren’s Contracture may vary depending on the severity of the illness, this procedure has several benefits for the indicated patients. Some of them are:
- Regained ability to perform regular movements
- Improved dexterity and motion range
- Pressure relief
- Pain relief
- No need for sedation or hospital admision
Additionaly, as Needle Aponeurotomy is an outpatient procedure, it can be performed in less than an hour, with the patient being able to continue their usual routine the same day.
Why Choose Ashford Orthopedics
Dr. Asford specializes in a number of orthopedic procedures and pathologies, with dedicated, meticulous and attentive care for each of his patients, during each step of the process, from the first visit, to the diagnosis and treatment. Take care of your health with quality and empathetihc attention, and receive timely, efficient, and personalized treatment today.
