I am newly diagnosed, and I suspect that my question is based in ignorance, but I need to know: The surgery seems risky and often not that successful, isn't it generally wiser to live with the condition and forget about surgery? From reading about it, it seems as though you retain the ability to use your hands for the most part--Sure, you might not be able to put gloves on or shake hands, or take change from your pocket, but it would seem that it wouldn't be worth undergoing that difficult, risky surgery and the long recuperation to improve that. Or--as I fear--does the disease have more serious characteristics that makes the surgery a must--for example, serious pain caused by the disease, inability to do such things as type, turn pages in a book, feed yourself, etc.

Please seek helk from one of thses Drs. for NA. It will help you better than surgery.

N.A. is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure for Dupuytrens which effectively breaks the cords which cause contraction of the fingers, thereby releasing them. The procedure has been available in France for many years with an excellent safety record and was introduced in the U.S. in 2003 by Dr. Charles Eaton. Since then a number of other doctors have begun offering N.A. to their patients as an alternative to open hand surgery.

KEY: FT = FRENCH-TRAINED

Charles Eaton, M.D. (FT)
Paul Zidel, M.D. (FT)
CERTIFIED HAND SURGEONS
The Hand Center
1002 Old Dixie Hwy, Suite 105
Jupiter, FL 33458
Phone: 561-746-3420
http://www.handcenter.org/newfile16.htm

David Kline, M.D (FT)
BOARD CERTIFIED EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN
Dupuytren's Clinic
Holy Rosary Medical Center
351 SW 9th St
Ontario, OR 97914
phone: 208-344-5628
http://dupuytrenscenter.com/

William Bourland, M.D.
CERTIFIED HAND SURGEON
The Hand Clinic
6286 Briarcrest Avenue
Memphis, TN 38120
Appointments: 901-259-1600 or 901-259-1684
bourland@orthomemphis.com
http://www.orthomemphis.com

Keith Denkler, M.D. (FT)
CERTIFIED HAND SURGEON
275 Magnolia
Larkspur, CA 94939
Phone: 415-924-6010
info@aestheticsurgery.com
http://www.plasticsurgerysf.com/dupuytrens/

Gary Pess, M.D. (FT)
CERTIFIED HAND SURGEON
Central Jersey Hand Surgery
2 Industrial way West
Eatontown NJ 07724
Phone: 732-542-4477
handman@doctor.com
http://www.centraljerseyhand.com/dupuytren.htm

Prosper Benhaim, M.D.
Associate Professor of Hand Surgery
CERTIFIED HAND SURGEON
200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 140
Los Angeles, CA 90095-6902
Hand Center: (310) 794-7784 Information and referral
(310) 825-7001 Information
pbenhaim@mednet.ucla.edu

Terrence J. Barry, M.D. (FT)
ORTHOPAEDICS BOARD CERTIFIED
3802 NE 207 St #2302
Miami, FL 33180
Phone: 305-822-6000
Fax: 305-557-5904
Drtbarry@aol.com

Bart; you ask why repond? Answer: because NA is the most
benign and predictable treatment for early to late stage DD/DC. Other options exists; they are either more invasive, or unproven. Until we have a "cure;" NA is still the best option for stage I and II DD/DC. Consult the list.
European and American doctors treat DD/DC. Advanced stages
need combination treatment. I suggest Dr. Lemusiaux for an NA consult and/or dr. Eaton for combination treatment (NA with/without hand surgery.) Or, wait for colaginase another
decade.