Sean,

Like I said earlier when Eaton turned out to be for real and doing a great job with NA in the US:

Thanks for Playing....IT'S OVER!

Believe it or not, but Dr. Eaton is still performing surgery for Dupuytren's. Why would I need to look at the pictures when I watched my surgery? Some of you act as though it (Dupuytren's) is major surgery. Good luck when you have a hip replacement.

Why do you have a problem with people having successful surgery for Dupuytren's? It is interesting that all of you decide to write at the same time. Perhaps all the same person, or you were all waiting together for my once in two months posting.

I haven't checked this forum in a long time and good grief, this argument about surgery never ends. For the record: I've had surgery on each hand and I'd grade the results as B+ in one case and C and in the other.

The surgeries were a bit creepy, it's true. And recovery was long and tedious. But, my hands certainly weren't "butchered", and the contractures haven't returned (almost 6 years in one case). The worst problem is with a PIP joint - as predicted, it froze up in the year following the surgery. For the most part I regained full movement.

Next time, like everyone, I'll give Dr. Eaton the first call. But I think there are probably still cases that require surgery.

This is in response to Steve's earlier posting in this thread about his contracture returning very quickly after NA. I am curious - is it in the pinky? I also have a VERY aggressive case of DC. I have had NA 6 times in the past 4 years on my right ring finger and 4 times on my left pinky. The last 2 times the pinky relapsed in only 6 weeks, so I no longer get NA performed on it - the PIP joint is totally frozen at this point anyway. I discussed the problem with Dr. Eaton and his recommendation is to perform surgery on just the pinky, not the palm, and to fuse the PIP joint at a more manageable 45 degree angle - it's now a bit past 90 degrees. He has told me that the PIP joint will NEVER work again. I am considering this - unfortunately, I have Blue Cross insurance and Dr. Eaton is not a provider, so I will need to fund this with lottery winnings or a bank robbery.

Steve - Yes,I've been getting NA in France for years, from Drs. Badois, Lellouche and Lermusiaux. Dr. Lermusiaux gave me colchicine in March, which I took for 3 months and it had no effect. I went to Dr. Eaton last month for the first time. Dr. Eaton gave me a prescription for Allopurinol 3 weeks ago, so it's a little early to judge if it will help. Dr. Eaton is only 40 miles from me or I would have continued with the French doctors. Also, I knew that I needed to find a surgeon to deal with the out of control pinky problem, Dr. Eaton did much more extensive work in my palm than the French doctors and I'm hoping that the results will be more long lasting. (one would hope so - My last visit to Dr. Lermusiaux was $60 (20 min.) - Dr, Eaton was $1200 (over an hour)- fortunately I'm not prone to fainting or heart problems!) Good luck. Kristen