Hi everyone,

I'm a carry-over from the bio-specifics days and this is my first time on the new forum. Randy and Wolfgang have done a nice job here.

I had NA from Dr. Eaton on 2-11-05 where my ring and pinky went from 30 degrees to flat. Those fingers are now back to 30 degrees and the PIP of the pinky is also bent. I'll probably wait til it affects my piano playing and then decide between Dr. Benhaim here in L.A. or fly up to the Bay Area for Dr. Denkler who at this point is probably more experienced with NA. My DD was proceeded by a golf injury of torn ligaments on the back side of the hand about a year before the DD appeared.

Now I'm seeing DD on my other hand which did not experience any trauma. Here it's in an unusual place. A band is forming between the base of the thumb and the index finger.

In spite of the recurrence I have no regrets of having NA as opposed to traditional surgery. If I have to have it every few years so be it. Absolutely no BFD.

I had my first NA procedure performed by Dr. Denkler and can now straighten both hands. I can tell that the tissue is still not wanting to stretch and I am following Dr. Denkler's advice and doing stretching exercises several times a day.

I am going to Essen next week to seek radiotherapy. I am doing this to hopefully avoid a recurrence of the contractures by stopping the progression of the disease.

I view surgery as a way to deal with the symptoms of the disease, and I include NA as a less invasive but still surgical technique. I view radiotherapy and NAC as ways to treat the disease itself. I may be completely wrong but based on current information it is my present take on the disease and how best to deal with it using current treatment options.

Bruce