Turbuck:

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I'm a 55 y/o female that noticed a lump on my left hand about 4 months ago. Recently, two lumps appeared on my right hand. I was sure these were attributed to driving with a wooden steering wheel!

One doctor looked and said I had cysts. Another said DD. I finally went to a hand surgeon today that looked at my hands and said it was DD and told me to wait and see.

If it is in fact, DD, I am open to RT. What is the best definitive diagnosis? MRI?

Also, any recommendations for RT in Florida?

Thanks!

You never know for sure. I had a large nodule on my hand 13 years ago. I did nothing and it shrank and was not noticeable/no bother for all that time. Then last year other nodules formed. I had RT for my entire palm and the dormant nodules took off like a stimulant was poured on them. My finger is starting to contract at this time.

Hi my understanding from the conversations I had with Prof. Seegenschmiedt that Radiotherapy was ideally suited for the treatment of nodules when the disease is active. It will have no effect on cords in the hand which have formed. One could describe when the disease is active when one can feel something happening within the area of the disease. In my case it was an unusual feeling , sometimes itchy but not on the surface of the skin. When the disease is dormant is not the time to have RT.
I had RT some 6 weeks after a repeat surgery on my hand when numerous nodules appeared . It would seem with Ledderhose that RT is effective on cords already formed. I would not be in too much of a hurry to have the next round of RT wait a few months so you can assess the results of the first round. Regards.

Edited 06/17/14 14:06

River376:

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I was diagnosed in 2010 and had surgery 1/2011 for small nodule on right pinky. Fast forward to today and it's returned with a vengeance. I've met with a different surgeon and will schedule add'l surgery in August. She has assured me surgery is the best way to go and since it has now progressed further (same finger) the likelihood of it returning may be lessened. I am 57 yr. female and this disease is very strange to me. I have 7 siblings and to my knowledge none of them have it.

First go 'round the surgeon did not even suggest PT and basically fluffed off anything beyond initial followup.

Have any of you had surgery without recurrence? I don't want to lose the use of my hand.

I had surgery 13 years ago and have not had any problems resulting from the surgery. Finger/hand is still as good as before the Dupuytren's. Of course everyone seems to have different results. I think the reason for my success was that the surgeon not only removed the cord but considerable amount of surrounding tissue.

Was your first surgery on that nodule for Dupuytren's, or just what ever was there? Was it by a hand surgeon? Very, very unusual for any hand surgeon to do surgery for a Dupuytren's nodule.