Surgery is the most common treatment of Dupuytren's disease. The surgery is usually opted at a very late stage of the disease, the stage when the fingers are already bent by more than 15 to 20 degrees and which restricts use of the hand. At such an advanced stage, when the hand is already bent inwards, surgery is the only therapy to make the hand straight again. So its better to get the treatment at the earlier stages only. Even the surgery won't be painful and doesn't have any harm.

Administrator

Surgery is certainly the most frequent treatment for Dupuytren's contracture but that doesn't make it a candidate for early intervention, does it? Surgery can be painful (my own hand was swollen for nearly half a year after surgery) and it might have a variety of side effects, including e.g. wound healing complication, incisional scar pain or complex reginal pain syndrom, see Keith Denkler's review http://www.eplasty.com/index.php?option=...&Itemid=116 . Besides that, NA or collagenase injection can straighten bent fingers, too. What the best option is really depends on your personal situation and ideally you get advice from an expert doctor, who is well familiar with all options.

Wolfgang

ChristaJones:

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Surgery is the most common treatment of Dupuytren's disease. The surgery is usually opted at a very late stage of the disease, the stage when the fingers are already bent by more than 15 to 20 degrees and which restricts use of the hand. At such an advanced stage, when the hand is already bent inwards, surgery is the only therapy to make the hand straight again. So its better to get the treatment at the earlier stages only. Even the surgery won't be painful and doesn't have any harm.

Yes, each procedure has drawbacks. What Wolfgang mentioned for surgery can be problems with NA and Xiaflex. Every surgery of any type will have the disclaimers mentioned. I would guess that the fine print that everyone signs before an NA or Xiaflex procedure would mention similar possible hazzards (as detailed in this forum).

Callie,

Would you please cite research studies that compare complications of surgery with NA?