Radiation Therapy - Don't do the whole hand !!

That's my lesson I have learnt, because Dupuytren affects NOT ALWAYS the whole hand !

Radiation is ONLY EFFECTIVE while acting against fibroblasts; if fibroblasts are not present
or not active, radiation therapy can be a waste ! It's better to detect nodules & cords, then
observe if they are really active by strict comparison of photographs or own palpation and
TREAT ONLY if ACTIVITY of the disease is really proven !

Often times the THUMB will never have any functional problem even if Dupuytren is there
... so why treat, if there are no obvious symptoms or no disabling functional deficit ?

From my discussion with Prof. Seegenschmiedt, who treated me before for my LEDDERHOSE
on both feet and now recently for ONE HAND, prophylactic radiation for "dormant disease"
is not useful. That's why my other hand has not been irradiated parallel with the other hand !
However, a sufficient "safety margin" around active disease" is very important for radiation.

My Conclusions:

1. Keep REGULARLY track on your disease by palpation (e.g. every 3 months)
2. Perform FUNCTION TESTS like spreading your fingers or thumb, test grip etc.
3. Document carefully all procedures on your hands using a sketch or photocopy
4. Ask your physician, orthopedist, hand surgeon or radiotherapy doctor to
give you copies of their procedures which they have done to complete your "history" ...

Larry

Edited 02/01/11 09:56

My cost in San Francisco was over $8000 for the second round of XRT and I also had to pay a $1400 CAT scan fee. The cost for the first round of treatments in Essen, Germany was 400 Euros. You could have a very nice vacation in Germany depending upon your co-pay or deductible and be dollars ahead.

I had Dr. Denkler perform a NA procedure on my hands 2 months before visiting Dr. Seegenschmiedt in Essen and in spite of Dr. Denkler's experience with Dupuytren's he had not understood how far the disease had progressed in my second and non-dominant hand. That was were Dr. Seegenschmiedt's decades of experience was invaluable in preparing for adequate XRT of the affected areas of both hands.

But it is important to get the XRT as soon as possible wherever that is going to be. My own treatment was delayed by nearly a year as my GP, Dr. Dawn Motyka of Santa Cruz, failed to diagnose it properly and even tried injecting a saline solution as a treatment.

XRT may halt progression but it will not reverse it.

bstenman:

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My cost in San Francisco was over $8000 for the second round of XRT and I also had to pay a $1400 CAT scan fee. The cost for the first round of treatments in Essen, Germany was 400 Euros. You could have a very nice vacation in Germany depending upon your co-pay or deductible and be dollars ahead.

....