| 2nd surgery in 4 years: complete success! |
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05/17/2013 00:05
Anymouse 
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05/17/2013 00:05
Anymouse
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2nd surgery in 4 years: complete success!
Four years ago I had surgery for Dupuytren's Contractures on both my right and left hands at the Oklahoma City Veterans Administration hospital. I went through months of physical rehabilitation (but found the best rehab for my hands was using my one-hundred year old office typewriter to send mail to everyone I know - the exercise provided by that typewriter finally got my fingers working again).
Unfortunately, the disease has returned. I have risk factors that aggravate it: epilepsy, and I take phenobarbital for the seizures. I've since moved to Nebraska, and three weeks ago I again went under the knife at the Cheyenne (Wyoming) VA hospital.
Today, the doctor removed the the stitches and was stunned by the results. Not only is full movement returned to my right hand (which he cautioned was not likely since I'd already had the surgery, and so recently), but neuropathy in my right hand which has plagued me for twenty-five years (I am fifty-two) completely disappeared only four days after the surgery. He said he had no explanation for why that might be.  Neuropathy is often caused by the surgery, not cured by it.
He tested my right hand's function and strength after removing some thirty or so stitches, and decided that no therapy other than my typewriter should be required. I drove home from the hospital (125 miles/200 km) with no difficulty.
Though my hand is badly swollen and bleeding somewhat, I can fully lay down my fingers (something I could not do after the surgery four years ago). I signed off the hospital paperwork myself (after the surgery, with my hand splinted, I needed to sign X and get two witnesses).
He will see me again about my right hand in July, and then schedule my left hand. He also noted that if the neuropathy in my left hand also disappears, I can expect to be the subject of a medical paper for the Veterans Affairs department.
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05/17/2013 00:36
Tusk 
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05/17/2013 00:36
Tusk
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Re: 2nd surgery in 4 years: complete success!
That's a nice outcome. You sound like a quick healer and being aggressive with your rehab helps. Do you also have neuropathy in your feet? Asking because I thought it was usually present in the hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy).
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05/17/2013 01:26
callie 
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05/17/2013 01:26
callie
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Re: 2nd surgery in 4 years: complete success!
Sounds great. I did my therapy (always flexing and kept moist with lotion) following surgery 11 years ago. Hand still is as good as before Dupuytren's.
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02/25/2014 18:45
pilgrims1
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02/25/2014 18:45
pilgrims1
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Re: 2nd surgery in 4 years: complete success!
OK, now I see that taking phenobarb. actually worsens Dupetryn's Contracture. Do you have any problems such as pain or inability to close your hand?
I too have taken pheobarbitol for the last 36 years for epilepsy. Over time (years) I noticed that palms on both hands had hard nodules, then actual cords, and then pinkie and ring fingers gradually pulled forward and I could not flatten my palms. I also have Raynaud's and experienced a frozen shoulder (which I had surgery for thirty years ago and a huge calcium deposit removed).
Didn't make the connection that these could be all related. My Kaiser doctors chalked it all up to arthritis After much delay and worthless cortisone shots, I had hand surgery on my left hand in July 2010 and, although I now have a fused little finger and nerve damage, my hand is still straight. I am trying to see what to do about right (dominant) hand that is heavily corded and about 45 degrees contracted. I have been doing much research into clinical trials and reading works of doctors studying Dupetryn's. This forum is amazing as it allows the person to see patterns/anomalies/similarities of other sufferers with DC.
What is really troubling is the lack of knowledge/insight there is on the "specialist" side of things. I am sure that if they were the ones not being able to use their hands or had someone dear to them who has Dupetryn's the care meter would be on high. The Kaiser hand surgeon I consulted with a year ago was not even aware that phenobarbital could be the underlying culprit. As for Xiaflex injections (and still not convinced of worthiness) - it is to date not in their "formulary".
OK, now I'm just venting . . .
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03/21/2014 20:39
shmiddo
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03/21/2014 20:39
shmiddo
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Re: 2nd surgery in 4 years: complete success!
Any idea if this doctor operates on ledderhose as well?
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