Just had surgery on my left ring finger on 2/3 and it had been contracting for 15 years.

I finally had enough when I was having such difficulty putting gloves on. I knew when it was diagnosed, that eventually it would need surgery. My left middle and my right middle fingers both have bands that were left alone. One nodule in the right index and one small one in my left foot.

The cast was removed 2 weeks ago and I have a splint that was made by a professional therapist as opposed to the first one which made me want to chop my hand off from the pain. Therapy began last week and so far the finger is completely straight again which both doctors I saw thought would be impossible. The school of thought was that the ligaments would not go back to normal from being atrofied for so many years. The surgery was not a big deal and I see 2-3 more in my future at 49. DC is strange and in so many people that don't know whatt it is I am surprised that more people don't know about it. Hang in there and maybe we can start a foundation, make lot's of maoney and hold a convention once a year in the tropics. Get more than one opinion and find a doctor that you are comfortable with. The follow up is important as well.

I am 45 and have just had surgery to remove 4 lumps from the sole of my Right foot, the largest was approx 1.5 inches in diameter. I first noticed it in my mid twenties. Although a bit painful they never bothered me too much until this year when they became so big that I could not wear a lot of my summer shoes without pain and blistering.

I am a doctor and first started asking my colleagues about a diagnosis 19 years ago. I heard several different views one of which was 'Dupeytron's of the foot'. No-one used the term Lederhosen's Disease and I had never heard of it until six hours post op when a passing Orthopaedic Surgeon (not the one who had done the operation) recognised me and asked what I was doing being a patient in the hospital rather than a doctor. The fact that I had never heard of it implies to me that it is quite rare or alternatively causes most sufferers relatively little inconvenience so they never consult a doctor. I certainly know all about all about Dupeytron's and Peyronie's. One of the things that put me off thinking that Lederhosen's was the same disease process was that I at no time developed any contractures in my toes.

Which brings me on to the disease process itself. I have three smaller lumps on my left foot and in the past year have developed a Dupeytron's nodule below the ring fingure of my left hand. I also have Garrod's pads which are painful nodules over the mid knuckles of both hands. All part of the same spectrum of disease. If I was a man I would probably have Peyronie's although, interestingly my father does not despite having unilateral Lederhosen's.

The surgery I have just had is excrutiatingly painful and I would think very carefully before having it done on the other side although it will always be a matter of weighing up the pros and cons and a lot depends on how big the lumps on the Left foot get. As far as operating on Dupeytron's is concerned. Delaying surgery until after the age of 50 is highly desirable as it negates the need for a skin graft and is less likely to recur. What is NA?

Hope this is of interest

Helen

To Helen C:

As an addition to Randy's comment which describes NA perfectly, it might make sense to point out that NA is an excellent means to straighten bent fingers but is less successful in healing big lumps of Ledderhose.

Recently cryotherapy has been successfully tried by several patients. Though the number of patients is still less than a handfull, and the results are not equally enthusiastic, cryotherapy might still become a reasonable therapy for big Ledderhose lumps. For more info on cryotherapy you might e.g. have a look at http://www.dupuytren-online.info/other_therapies.html (don't worry about the Dupuytren in the domain name, this site also addresses Ledderhose). If you are looking for a US based MD to apply cryotherapy for Ledderhose Goldstein is probably the most experienced one (www.footfreezer.com).

Wolfgang

I was diagnosed w/ DC 2 1/2 years ago and had 2 OS twice in 2005. I started showing symptoms of nodule growth at around 25. (I am now 38) I had always had small pit marks in hand and foot as long as I can remember ( grade school). NA was not an option for me due to the location of the nodules. So that will determine what treatment is available for you as well. My nodules are located on my fingers under the knuckles wound tight against my tendons. They are too hard to get to for NA or OS. So please research all options before any treatment. NA is not always the right answer. Good hunting!!
J Ann