After some 10 months, I am back to reviewing the latest in Aussie cures for DC. I had surgery on my left hand in Nov 07; and after some minor initial problems with swelling, the hand has returned to almost 100% functionality. The only lasting efftect is the loss of some sense of touch around the scar line, and a permanent stiffness of tissue along the scar line itself.

However, compared to what has happened to my righ hand, my left hand surgery is non problematic. 10 months ago, the DC was mild in the right hand...10 months later it is rampant. It is growing chords everywhere. This agressive progression of the disease is apparently not uncommon after some initial surgery...but I did not expect it to be this pronounced.

So...I am back at the old equation...surgery vs alternatives...which led me to this posting. I have contacted Jennifer Green's surgery some 4 months ago, but was told that ideally I should be 60 or over to be considering NA. So at 54 years of age, I ceased pursuing this method of therapy. However, I am encouraged by some of the positive feedback from this posting as to success, and hence ask if the 60 years entry threshold holds for other patience?

In the mean time, I have decided on this occasion to go to a recognised hand surgeon for my right hand (appointment early Sept) ; not that I am over displeased with surgery on the left hand performed by a general orthopeadic surgeon, though those who followed my posting from last November may recall my experince in the local private hospital (that left even the surgeon bewildered), and the lack of follow-up physiotherapy.

Will keep my eye on this forum; I am absolutely convinced that there is more constructive debate conducted here that in many of the local doctor's surgeries. It pays to be informed.

Thanks Wolfgang for feedback, I will consider NA again as it is an attractive alternative. Will keep the forum informed of my decision and progress.

One other thing that puzzles me constantly, and the researchers as well no doubt, is why some people get this disease and other in the same family do not.

I seem to have the classic related symptoms of the disease, DC in both hands slowly forming since mid 30's (now aggressive); frozen shoulders (operations on both shoulder to release in my early 50's), and the early stages of diabetes. Yet, I am as thin as a pin, don't drink or smoke, and exercise regularly. No other relation in my family on either side has had any one of these complaints, yet I have all three. I am definitely my parents' son due to other facts and obvious charateristics (ie I am not adopted!), so why is it that I have these conditions, but my sibling, parents or any other relation (close or far) we can think of does not? I have read much on how it runs in families, but I guess that inheritance is not the only factor here?

Don't really expect that anyone can answer this mystery...but it does intrigue me greatly. The only saving grace is, from my three daughters' perspective, that the disease may not be transmitted on and might hopefully disappear out of the family tree permanently...but I somehow I doubt that.



Edited at 07/31/08 05:11

Rosco,

Genetics is fascinating. Dupuytren's is an autosomal dominate. But if, when, and how the gene is expressed clinicaly depends on many other contributing factors both in the rest of your genetic make up and your environment. This is true of many autosomal dominate problems. So one of your parents carried the gene but was lucky enough not to have expression of it. At younger ages men out number women but by mid 80's the numbers are the same. So a woman might die of old age before she had symptoms of her Dupuytren's.

My Father has it. His Father didn't. His mother died in her early 60's and may have died before she had symptoms.

So your girls have a 50% chance of inheriting the gene but may luck out and have very mild or very late age of onset.

To Newman, I think we are on the edge of pushing to alternative treatment in Australia for Dup. My hand physiotherapist & other physios. are pushing for NA & radiotherapy to be available. It has taken a long time for a few surgeons to listen. I was wondering if you had passed on your knowledge to radiotherapists like Dr Borg in Adelaide? Wolfgang has helped to make this infomation also available on this website. Because we don't have experienced specialists like the ones in Europe & the States we all want to encourage ways to treat our hands before we need hand surgery in Australia. When Dr Green says she will only do hands over 60 it still seems we have to convince them. What do you reckon? Seeya

Hi James, Australia Calling,
I am aware Dr.Green was moving to Queensland and hopefully, if she continues to practice, she will let me know . I have made enquiries and Dr. Dilley has a web site

On the web, the e-mail drop down window is INCORRECT. I will e-mail him to see ,if he will list on the Dupuytren Society web site. I do not have much experience with needle fasciotomy ( NA. ) ,but you sound more of a candidate, for low dose radiotherapy, as you have no contracture. You do not mention any evidence of cords and my understanding is ,that in NA, the cord is broken to release the contracture in the joints.
Have a look on the forum, click on Dupuytren and scroll down to 'Eaton Strikes Again' by Randy- Open the window and click on both the links , the first contains a video and the second pdf. files on procedure. This will broaden the horizon . Regards.