Have you had a look at http://www.dupuytren-online.info/IPP_and_others.html already? The current "experimental" treatment for Dupuytren's and Peyronie's is collagenase http://www.dupuytren-online.info/dupuytren_collagenase.html. It might work for your pinkie and maybe for your Peyronie's as well. But for both you need to get onto the according trial. You might also have a look at radiotherapy (on the left menu). BTW, Auxilium, the manufacturer of collagenase, recently announced a cooperation with Pfizer http://ir.auxilium.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=1...&id=1237423.

Wolfgang

Hi badchess,

I live in Seattle also and traveled to Boise to consult with Dr. Kline and had radiation at St. Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute in Boise. So far as Seattle, I called Swedish's Radiation Oncology Department in April, spoke to a nurse about the possiblity of receiving radiation here in Seattle. I was told by the nurse that she hadn't heard of Dupuytren's and that they didn't treat it. However, I thought it would be worth my while to encourage them to offer radiation for Dupuytren's so I called today and spoke to the receptionist. She encouraged me to write to the head of radiation oncology, Dr. Todd Barrett. So, although they don't treat it currently, perhaps if they are approached by more than one person, they might become interested in it? I don't know anything about Dr. Barrett, however.

I noticed on Dr. Barrett's website that he is accepting new patients.

Megan L (Bellevue)

Edited 01/09/09 08:16

Hi Fritz,

I had five days of radiation in Boise, and 6 weeks later I had another 5 days. The treatment only took about 30 seconds for each hand...I was only at St. Luke's each day for about 10 minutes total. I arrived in Boise on a Friday, had an appointment with Dr. Kuhn, and they made the molds for my hands that day. I started radiation treatment the following Monday.

However, Dr. Kuhn told me it was possible to have two treatments in a day, so long as they were scheduled 6 hours apart. That way, the treatments could be done in 2-1/2 days. I'd already taken the full weeks off work, though.

Megan

Hi Fritz,

Well, the medical costs are truly expensive. My husband works at Microsoft and we have really great medical insurance, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to do this. I know how fortunate I am in this regard. Get ready....for the first round of doctor's appointments and radiation, my insurance company was billed $13,308. For the second round, my insurance was billed $4,472. I imagine the first round is more because they make the forms for your hand, etc. Everything was already in place when I went in for the second round. The insurance company did not pay the full amount for all these charges; it looks like they paid about 50% of what the hospital charged and the hospital accepted that. All very wierd how this "works" (or doesn't work) in the US.

Megan

Edited 01/11/09 20:13

Hi Fritz,

Yes..I know...the cost seems inexplicable. I can't imagine what the costs are for more complicated radiation procedures. Actually, they make a form for each hand to sit in, so that it stays in the same position, and then some sort of form is cast out of metal for the radiation to come through, so it strikes the part of the hand that the doctor has mapped out. Also, I had a lengthy consult with doctor at the onset of the first treatment round.


Megan