Thanks Stephen
I'll look into Dr Schlect. Do you know if he works with Dr Christie from the Gold Coast?
At 46 I am concerned with RT as I have had many X-rays for many broken bones and a chronic back complaint. Should I be concerned?
As mentioned previously I have disease in both feet and both hands. While researching my family history recently I was informed that a number of family members have had the disease. I was shocked to hear that my grandfather (who had Dups) had a half brother and sister who were both very badly affected. The brother was so bad that he was considered a "cripple" in his time. From a moderate age he could not walk or use his hands at all. His sister was not much better off. Just for a "kicker" both of them were also severe hunchbacks from some form of kyphosis or scoliosis. They were country people and had little or no diagnosis or medical assistance. Neither married or has children so their history stopped with them. There are other family members on my grandfathers line that have both DD and similar back issues.

Does anyone know of a relationship between DD or LD and other joint conditions? My back became a significant problem at around the same time as the LD began some 18 years ago. The back tissue (tendons and ligaments) tightness near the thorsic spine feels very similar to that of the DD and LD tissue.

Anybody else with experiences of Dr Schlect or Dr Christie for RT near Brisbane?

AB

Hi Larry

If I lived in Germany I would be right with you preferring the experience; but I do not so I need to make the best of what is available. However, I would re-state that the treatment is not complex. Also at aged 59, I do not mind contributing to a build up of experience in Australia.

In answer to another question in this thread, Drs Schlect and Christie are both Premion radiologists, one based in Brisbane and one on the Gold Coast. I believe Dr Christie also has has DD RT experience.

Cheers

Stephen

Hi All
before a final decision on whether to try radiotherapy I visited an experienced hand surgeon here in Brisbane. As a patient with Dupuytrens diathesis (a more aggressive form) and as a 46 year old, it was recommended that radiotherapy be avoided at all costs. The arguement was that the tissue radiated would be compromised and that future surgery would be much more difficult. Previously another surgeon has expressed the same view.
Has anyone experienced such difficulties? .....or heard similar arguements? This doctor had the view that treatment with NA, Xiaflex when available here, and surgery would achieve a better long term outcome.

AB

Certainly RT is damaging tissue but surgeons who operated Dupuytren's after RT tell that it is OK. What your surgeons tell you is probably based on old publications referring to heavily irradiated cases, not their own experience with operating Dupuytren's patients who had RT before. But maybe you can inquire? It certainly depends on the amount of radiation and for Dupuytren's the total dose is relatively low.

BTW, their argument would also rule out surgery. A second surgery is MUCH more difficult due to the scarring of the first surgery. That's based on real experience from many sugreons and your surgeons will probably agree to it. So, with a strong diathesis you ought to avoid surgery as long as possible because Dupuytren's might come back quickly and require more and more difficult surgery. I would try minimal invasive procedures to correct a bent finger and RT to slow down progression where no fingers are bent.

Wolfgang

Anthony:

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Hi All
before a final decision on whether to try radiotherapy I visited an experienced hand surgeon here in Brisbane. As a patient with Dupuytrens diathesis (a more aggressive form) and as a 46 year old, it was recommended that radiotherapy be avoided at all costs. The arguement was that the tissue radiated would be compromised and that future surgery would be much more difficult. Previously another surgeon has expressed the same view.
Has anyone experienced such difficulties? .....or heard similar arguements? This doctor had the view that treatment with NA, Xiaflex when available here, and surgery would achieve a better long term outcome.

AB

Has RT ever failed? I am still troubled by people reporting excellent results. If I would have had RT in my right hand 15 years ago I would have been screaming from the highest mountain about how successful it was 15 years later, that "RT stopped the progression". Well, I didn't have RT 15 years ago and my Dupuytren's in my right hand has not advanced any. It is exactly as it was 15 years ago. This occurred at the same time my left hand (little finger) contracted to 90 degrees. My two hands were parallel in progression, one stopped and one continued to progress.

My question is, "how is the unknown progression figured into the endorsement of RT?"