Hello,
I have recently had a Palmer Fasciectomy done on my left hand for Dupuytren's Disease. I wanted to say that I have absolutely NO regrets as it was a success. I suffered NO pain following the surgery, and it is healing quickly. I can now bend my hand & fingers back for the first time in two and a half years. It is wonderful and I would recommend this method to anyone.I will be going back to have a second surgery for my thumb, which still has the Disease to be removed. I am VERY happy with the results. I have enclosed Pictures below. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing this Metzie. It's nice to get good reports of successful surgery for DD as the ones we get are usually not so good. It would be interesting and useful to know why it works so well for some and not for others. We ususually recommend finding a surgeon with LOTS of experience treating DD.

Are you doing post-op physio and night splinting?

The individual outcome of surgery and of all other current treatments is unfortunately still fairly unpredictable, irrespective of efforts like O.W. Donaldson et al. “The association between intraoperative correction of Dupuytren's disease and residual postoperative contracture“ (Dupuytren Award 2011 http://www.dupuytren-online.info/dupuytren_award.html). My hand surgeon, who has extensive experience with operating Dupuytren's and did a great job on operating me, once asked me "do you kow what makes a good hand surgeon?" I didn't know so he answered himself "Picking the right patients". Although that was humorous it holds some truth.

For radiotherapy treating "fresh" nodules has the best chances while older cords have less. Nodules are usually not operated on and PIP joints of the little finger are generally the worst to treat. Personally I believe that minimally invasive treatments are better suited for Dupuytren's because surgical trauma can trigger the growth of new nodules. But that's just my own opinion (and experience). With Dupuytren's every patient is different.

Wolfgang

Luciferette:

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That's good to hear. I'll be honest: my own experience of surgery hasn't been great. I'm having post op therapy, splinting (spring for daytime, fixed for night) etc but the finger is now back at about 40 degrees contracture (better than it was at 90!) and is still very sore and stiff.
I, too, would be interested to know what indications there are pre-surgery as to the level of success. Mine was pretty bad, PIP joint and well advanced due to misdiagnosis - perhaps palm nodules have a higher 'fixed' rate? Or perhaps timing has something to do with it?

spanishbuddha:

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Thanks for sharing this Metzie. It's nice to get good reports of successful surgery for DD as the ones we get are usually not so good. It would be interesting and useful to know why it works so well for some and not for others. We ususually recommend finding a surgeon with LOTS of experience treating DD.

Are you doing post-op physio and night splinting?