location and amount of contracture. The doctor will refer to these measurements at future appointments to see how quickly the condition is progressing.
There is no cure for the contracture, but there are treatments available. You may not need any treatment until you are unable to use your hands for everyday tasks. Non-surgical treatments are also available including steroid injection, which can prevent progression of the contracture and also splinting.
Surgical treatment involves breaking up the cords that are pulling your fingers in. The severity of your condition will determine the best course of treatment:
This treatment involves using a needle to break the cords apart. The contracture often comes back, but the procedure can be repeated.
The advantages are that needling can be done multiple times and has very short recovery time. The disadvantage is that it can’t be used on every contracture because the needle could damage nerves that are near to the contracture.
These injections weaken the cords. Your doctor will manipulate your hand to try to break up the cord the day after the injections are given. This is an outpatient procedure with a short recovery time.
The disadvantage is that it can be used on only one joint each time. The treatments must be at least one month apart. Many enzymatic treatments have not yet obtained FDA approval.
Surgery removes the cord tissue, but may need to be done at a later stage when the cord tissue is identifiable. It may be hard to remove the cord without removing the attached skin.
This is a more permanent solution to the contracture. The disadvantages of surgery are that it has a long recovery period and requires physical therapy to return full hand movement and functionality. The affected skin tissue may also be removed during the surgery, which requires a skin graft to cover the area.
Some things you can do at home to ease your pain and other symptoms include:
Dupuytren’s contracture is not life threatening, and you can work with your doctor to determine which treatment options will work best for you and how to manage your contracture.