Causes
How We Can Help You for Dupuytren’s Contracture
Our doctors have the in-depth training and experience needed to precisely diagnose and treat Dupuytren’s contracture. This condition causes your fingers to curl inward into a bent position, making it hard to do everyday activities, even something as simple as shaking hands.
Our world-class orthopaedic specialists develop a complete care plan personalized to your unique condition and needs. The goal is to help you extend your fingers and regain as much motion as possible.
Because Dupuytren’s contracture results from excess tissue forming in small lumps or rope-like bands under your palm, we may recommend treatment ranging from injection therapy to, if needed, surgery. Our care plans always focus on the least invasive treatment approaches possible.
In addition, Stanford Health Care patients with Dupuytren’s contracture may have opportunities to join research studies of new treatment options not yet available anywhere else.
What We Offer You for Dupuytren’s Contracture
- Specialized expertise from one of the world’s leading programs focused on diagnosing and treating Dupuytren’s contracture and all other orthopaedic conditions.
- Team-based treatment planning that brings together highly experienced specialists who create a comprehensive care plan personalized to your unique needs.
- Advanced treatment options, always emphasizing the least invasive approaches possible but also providing state-of-the-art surgery whenever needed.
- Full support that includes care planning and follow-up as well as steps to take to help reduce the impact of Dupuytren’s contracture on your life.
- Clinical trial opportunities to join research studies of new innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture.
- Ease of access to highly trained specialists conveniently located close to where you work or live.
Treatment for Dupuytren’s Contracture
Stanford’s team of orthopaedic doctors treat mild to severe forms of Dupuytren’s contracture using the latest therapies, including collagenase injections and minimally invasive surgery.
Dupuytren’s contracture is a condition that affects the fascia, a layer of tissue under the skin of your palm. As this tissue gets thicker and tighter over time, it can cause one or more fingers to curl inward into a bent position. Bent fingers can make it harder to do everyday activities, such as typing or shaking someone’s hand.
The main treatment goal for Dupuytren’s contracture is to make sure your hand works as well as it can. In early stages of the disease, your doctor may recommend physical therapy or nonsurgical treatments that use injections to break up the thickened tissue. In severe cases, doctors may perform surgery to carefully remove the affected tissue.
Get expert care for all forms of Dupuytren’s contracture from Stanford’s experienced orthopaedic team.
Nonsurgical Treatment
Surgery for Dupuytren’s Contracture
With Dupuytren’s contracture, symptoms tend to get worse over time. Some people with very early signs of this condition may only notice small lumps under the skin of the palm. If your symptoms don’t bother you or affect your hand movement, you may not need any treatment.
As the disease progresses, the connective tissue under the palm thickens and tightens in places, developing “cords” of tissue. These cords gradually pull one or more fingers into a permanently bent position, making it harder for you to extend the affected fingers.
If you are in the early stages of the disease, your doctor may recommend nonsurgical treatment with injections. These treatments may ease your symptoms or slow down how fast the disease progresses.
Collagenase
For this less-invasive treatment option, your doctor injects collagenase (an enzyme) into the hand to dissolve some of the abnormal tissue. This treatment may relieve your symptoms and improve how well your hand moves.
Steroids
Your doctor may inject corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory medications) into masses of thickened tissue, or nodules. This treatment may relieve discomfort or potentially slow the disease progression in that area of your hand.
In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary. Our doctors are skilled in minimally invasive techniques that can provide excellent results with minimal disruption to your daily life.
Needle Aponeurotomy
In this procedure, doctors use a needle to make small holes in the tight cords in the palm. These holes help separate the thickened tissue, so you can extend your fingers. Doctors perform this one-hour procedure in the office using local anesthesia and no incision.
Fasciectomy
This procedure involves removing the affected tissue so you can regain movement and function in your fingers. In some cases, your doctor may perform a skin graft to cover open areas in the palm. After surgery, our physical therapy and rehabilitation team teaches you special hand exercises and massage techniques that will help improve how well you can move your fingers.
Your treatment plan and results will be unique to you. It’s possible for symptoms to come back after surgery, so your doctor may recommend multiple surgeries over time. With the right treatment, our team will help you minimize how Dupuytren’s contracture affects your hand and how you live your life.
With Dupuytren’s contracture, symptoms tend to get worse over time. Some people with very early signs of this condition may only notice small lumps under the skin of the palm. If your symptoms don’t bother you or affect your hand movement, you may not need any treatment.
As the disease progresses, the connective tissue under the palm thickens and tightens in places, developing “cords” of tissue. These cords gradually pull one or more fingers into a permanently bent position, making it harder for you to extend the affected fingers.
If you are in the early stages of the disease, your doctor may recommend nonsurgical treatment with injections. These treatments may ease your symptoms or slow down how fast the disease progresses.
Collagenase
For this less-invasive treatment option, your doctor injects collagenase (an enzyme) into the hand to dissolve some of the abnormal tissue. This treatment may relieve your symptoms and improve how well your hand moves.
Steroids
Your doctor may inject corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory medications) into masses of thickened tissue, or nodules. This treatment may relieve discomfort or potentially slow the disease progression in that area of your hand.
close Nonsurgical Treatment
In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary. Our doctors are skilled in minimally invasive techniques that can provide excellent results with minimal disruption to your daily life.
Needle Aponeurotomy
In this procedure, doctors use a needle to make small holes in the tight cords in the palm. These holes help separate the thickened tissue, so you can extend your fingers. Doctors perform this one-hour procedure in the office using local anesthesia and no incision.
Fasciectomy
This procedure involves removing the affected tissue so you can regain movement and function in your fingers. In some cases, your doctor may perform a skin graft to cover open areas in the palm. After surgery, our physical therapy and rehabilitation team teaches you special hand exercises and massage techniques that will help improve how well you can move your fingers.
Your treatment plan and results will be unique to you. It’s possible for symptoms to come back after surgery, so your doctor may recommend multiple surgeries over time. With the right treatment, our team will help you minimize how Dupuytren’s contracture affects your hand and how you live your life.
close Surgery for Dupuytren’s Contracture
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Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may be eligible to participate in open clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies that are currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but similar studies may open in the future.
What Is Dupuytren’s Contracture?
Our Clinics
At Stanford, you get access to expert surgeons experienced in caring for Dupuytren's contracture and other orthopaedic conditions. We offer the latest treatments to care for people with a broad range of problems affecting the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.
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