Well it has been almost 6 years since I first posted in this thread (2007) just prior to surgery to my left hand / ring finger. This was in between 3 operations for frozen shoulders (a known problem for DC suffers). You will find several of my posting from 2007 to 2009 covering my experiences back then...so no need to repeat.

Some 6 years on, and almost 3 weeks after surgery to my right hand / ring finger, I thought I best report in.

Truth is, I am probably getting use to surgery from this dreaded disease and have no real expectations that I will ever be fully cured (i.e. at age 59 I suspect it will revisit me in a decade or so) . With that acknowledgement, my recovery post my latest surgery has exceeded my best expectations. The chord at the base of my palm was much thicker this time (compared to that which grew in my left hand), and the degree of contraction of my ring finger was much more pronounced (estimate at right angle to palm). I forget the correct nomenclature for identifying the various finger joints, but the chord in my RH extended half way up the ring finger leaving the finger permanently bent.

In short, the hand was proving virtually useless...and frankly a complete embarrassment when it came to to shake someones hand.

So...having had my left hand functionality fully restored following my 2007 operation...I went back to the same doctor (Newcastle NSW Australia) and repeated the exercise on the right hand (RH).

I am not suggesting others should attempt my road to recovery, but I thought I would share the results thus far. Discharged from hospital after 24 hrs (overnight)...I returned home and was playing piano (poorly) with 3 fingers of my RH that afternoon (Ring and little finger were bandaged). I was back at my place of employment the next day. Using the piano as a yardstick to recovery, I was playing with 4 fingers of RH (minus ring finger) within a week and playing with all 5 fingers of RH by 2nd week. Given that I have been deprived of full use of my right hand for at least 2 years, the experience on the piano has been absolutely exhilarating (not sure the wife or neighbours would agree...took a hour or two to regain keystroke accuracy with the ring finger...but a ~50 year habit of playing keyboards quickly returned....).

Frankly, the action of playing keyboards (and typing emails etc) has proven great therapy in quickly returning my hand to use. 17 days after the operation, I can now extend my hand fully (stretch an octave) but still can't make a full fist; though I suspect this is only a week away. As I reported back in 2007, my surgeon does not require any particular physio; nor does he employ splints after surgery. The message he gives me is to just use the hand sensibly and regularly. I rub some of my wife's expensive hand lotions into the wound ~ every hour to keep moist...and bend / flex fingers at every opportunity. The swelling has almost gone, and the sense of touch and heat has returned quickly to all but the base of the ring finger (surrounding wound). Further, I have not needed any use of pain killers since leaving the hospital on the day after the surgery.

I expect to be back playing golf within 3 weeks (perhaps less...though I returned too early back in 2007 and set back my ultimate recovery by several weeks due to splitting of the wound).

I share this experience in the knowledge that surgery is not the preferred method by many to attack this disease; in fact it often gets (I believe) very bad press. But, I can only thank the skill of my surgeon, he obviously knows his stuff.

Again though, I stress that this is not a cure...but hopefully it will buy me a decade or so in which to play quality golf and keyboards before DC makes an unwelcomed return.

Edited 06/03/13 12:03

rosco, great to hear of your success. Your recovery has been quicker than mine was. I am over eleven years since my surgery. I have no hint of return of Dupuytren's so far. My hand is still as good as before the Dupuytren's. My recovery was similar to yours ... very little pain, no hand therapy except what I did on my own and keeping the wound moist with lotion for massaging. I was not golfing until about 7 weeks primarily because I am right handed and I take a divot usually with my irons putting pressure on my left little finger (which had the Dupuytren's).

I would do surgery again if needed because of the great results that I had. I did have RT on my other hand about six months ago. The tech that worked with me for the RT had surgery for Dupuytren's almost 20 years ago and his hand still had zero contracture. That is encouraging.

juliebeesley:

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Good evening,
I live in Sydney & Im having trouble finding a good & experienced doctor. Can anyone recommend someone please?
Cheers Julie

Hi Julie,

Please refer to my post of yesterday and earlier ones ( I started this thread ).

To repeat, I had an NA procedure with David Dilley last October and I consider him to be extremely competent. I am very satisfied with the work he did on my left hand, although I must say it was a relatively simple two cord procedure.

I also went to see Jennifer Green in 2008 when she was practicing in Sydney and she told me that my condition was too far gone for NA. A few months later I went to see the "inventor" of NA, Dr Lermusiaux, in Paris and he completely straightened a very distorted right hand ( apart from some residual bend in the little finger ). Compared to the doctors in Europe, especially Paris, and the US the NA doctors in Australia are not very experienced and are arguably over cautious. Dr Lermusiaux, now retired, used to perform several NA procedures per week for over 30 years!

I disagree with Seph's position: I feel that the doctor does need to see the patient before he can confirm a diagnosis of Dupuytren's Contracture. The doctors in Paris do seem to make a diagnosis via photographs but as I said they're far more experienced.

If you'd like to discuss this further then please post your email address or phone number and I'll give you a call ( I live in the eastern suburbs of Sydney ).

Cheers,


Brian

Dr. Edinburg is a plastic surgeon, not a hand surgeon. I don't know how often he operates on Dupuytren's contracture but from his website I would guess that he is doing mostly other kinds of surgeries. Hand surgery is very delicate and if you decide for surgery an expert is highly recommendable.

Wolfgang

juliebeesley:

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... I googled and came up with Dr Edinburg from here: http://www.edeninstitute.com.au/
Has anyone heard of him? ...