I have hread stories where that happened accidentially, so it feasible. I am not sure I would do or recommend it. How can you be sure you don't snap anything else?

Now if your finger is fully straight again you might try wearing a night splint for a while to avoid that your finger reconnects the split parts of the cord. that you result in quick recurrence of the contracture.

Wolfgang

Keep in touch with this forum to let us know what happens in the future. I would be very hesitant about your procedure in that it could easily stimulate the Dupuytren's activity. Dupuytren's seems to react to stress and accentuate the growth if not removed.

With the Xiaflex treatment the tissue is dissolved and then a day or a week later the physician does the same thing you did to break the bond and release the finger. You just saved yourself a month and $4000.

There is good evidence that X-ray treatment can slow the development of Dupuytren's if done in the early stages. It is probably too late for you to consider having this done.

Dr. Keith Denkler who has a great deal of experience treating people with Dupuytren's believes that stretching of the hands is beneficial and cites the relative lack of contracture when it affects the feet as people continue to walk and stretch out the connective tissue.

I know of no research that shows a statistically significant correlation between repetitive stress and Dupuytren's. It first became a problem with me in my 50's and other people are more advanced by the time they reach 30. This seems to indicate that the progression of the disease has little to do with activity. Active people may be more aware of the disease as it impacts them more than someone who is less active or has a different occupation or personal interests.

I don't know if my Dupuyten's gene came from my mother's side of the family or my father's as going back two generations on both sides no one suffered from this defect and I had uncles and grandparents on both sides that lived well into their 80's. My brother was a carpenter for 25 years and his hands were subject to a lot more daily stress than mine but I developed Dupuytren's and so far he has not.

My hands now become fatigued and will cramp when doing activities which require tightly grasping something for a period of time. Previously it was the opposite and I could do things with less fatigue and more hand strength than anyone else I have known over the years and this included body builders who spent many hours free lifting weights. I suspect that the same mechanisms that were positive attributes when I was young are now involved with the lumps, contractures, fatigue, and cramping that I get now.

Emdoller:

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Thank you for the response. I work out with weights a 3-4 times a week and believe that it helps but who knows. What's interesting is I don't seem to have a well defined cord right where the beginning of my ring finger starts and believe this is due to my weight lifting. If I ever want to go have NA performed I'd worry they may not be able to do it.

I live on northern CA so plan on going to Dr Denkler if it gets worse.

Thanks again for your response.

Ed

Emdollar,

You may want to email Dr. Denkler with pictures and he will email you back. Feel free to describe your disease. He'll also weigh in on whether he thinks you are a good candidate for Xiaflex if you are interested. He'll talk with you by phone if you need him to.

He does NA, the enzyme, and surgery if necessary. He has treated many hands with all treatments including well over 100 vials of Xiaflex by now.

He is passionate about treating Dupuytren's hands and gives plenty of time to answer all of your questions and makes you feel like he wants to do that for you.