Vicki,

see my post from 10/24. I'd ask about the hyrdro-dilatation before considering any surgery. Here in Australia it appears to be a very common option for FS if cortisone doesn't work. It's relatively painless, although there is some discomfort for a few minutes - takes about 30 mins, with small local anaesthetic, and the results are evident within a few days. My FS is about 80% fixed and improving with occasional pain if I push it too far, whereas before I would estimate about 40% mobility & regular pain.

Could my husband's shoulder problems be dupuytren's?? My father-in-law wasn't diagnosed until a few years ago after he began drinking heavily (became alcoholic after 95 when his own father died) and he has always smoked, so I guess that's why his dup is so bad now (he's had two surgeries, but his hands now are almost curled so badly that he can't even drive - he says his feet are bothering him now, but I can't get him to do anything about it!). Anyhow, my husband injured his shoulder at work, and the surgeon who did surgery kept commenting that a 37 yr old man shouldn't have this bad of arthritis. My husband had a very long recovery, went back to work, and had problems again. The surgeon said he thought it was close to being a frozen shoulder. My husband got two other opinions and they want to operate again because they say he has an impingement(?). I'm concerned that my husband has dupuytren's. His doctor doesn't even know how to screen him for it. He has no symptoms or signs in his hands or feet -- could it present to just his shoulders first?? Also, should our children be screened for this? Thanks.

Frozen Shoulder is associated with Dupuytren's disease - many posters here, including myself, have had both. The physical therapist who worked on my shoulder knew about the connection.

I initially thought I had an impingement but an x-ray showed that was not the case. An injection of cortisone and several physical therapy sessions, plus weeks of daily exercises, resolved the shoulder problem.

Of course your husband's case may be different. The shoulder joint is complex and prone to various problems.

There are other posts on this forum describing the g/c impact on Dupuytren's. I personally feel it accelerated mine and contributed to forming nodules in my feet. Since discontinuing g/c growth has slowed. A physical therapist friend of mine feels that because g/c's benefit is stimulating growth of cartilage it could well be stimulating growth of fascia tissue as well. There have been no definitive studies linking g/c and d/c but when I saw Dr Eaton, he has seen enough correlation that he is going to start adding it to his patient questionnairre to see if it shows more susceptability. My advice: avoid the g/c.

Hi all,
I've been a diabetic for 33 years, and over the past 6 years have been struggling with trigger finger in most all fingers except thumbs. 6 months ago had surgery on the right hand to release trigger finger on index, middle and ring fingers, and had 2 DC cords removed, one running from base of ring finger down the palm, and the other running from base of index to base of thumb. Fingers not curled significantly, but the incision/scar where index finger/thumb DC cord was removed feels very "tight". Surgeon claims it many be Dupuytrens tissue again. I can't believe that in 6 months it could be forming already? I am thinking the incision was not close properly since I've had this tightness/pulling since my dressing was removed a week after surgery. Has anyone else experienced this kind of post-operative tightness through their DC incision?