Dupuytren's Contracture

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 20 Dec 2013 11:40 pm

This is a thickening of the carpal tendons in the palm of the hand. It will eventually close you hand into a fist. When your hand is about 20% closed, they usually operate to correct it. But sometimes you don't regain full use of your hand. There is a new way to do it, I've heard, that is less invasive and involves needles. My problem is that my right hand is nowhere near the point where they usually treat the problem. But I seem to be having increasing trouble controlling my fingers. I guess I need to go back to the doctor and see what he says. Has anybody had any experience with this?

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 20 Dec 2013 11:42 pm

Dupuytren's.

Decent article in Wikipedia.org

I can't get the link to work.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 20 Dec 2013 11:50 pm

Thanks. I shoulda thought of that.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 21 Dec 2013 10:27 am

Dupuytren's.

Decent article in Wikipedia.org

I can't get the link to work.

Here ya go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dupuytren's_contracture

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 21 Dec 2013 1:58 pm

Yup, that's the link.

Yup, still doesn't work.

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 21 Dec 2013 3:12 pm

Perhaps This is The Information You Need.

https://secure.healthcentral.com/cecs/c ... ter?ap=800

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 21 Dec 2013 3:47 pm

Yup, that's the link.

Yup, still doesn't work.

I dunno, worked for me... $:\$

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 21 Dec 2013 5:12 pm

It worked for me, too. Unfortunately, it is my thumb, 1st and 2nd fingers that are affected. It's beginning to affect my playing. Having read both links, thing don't look too good. Well, I'll see what the doctors say, I guess. $:\$

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 21 Dec 2013 6:14 pm

Hyperlink won't read the underline. Gets you to the Frenchman who described the condition, but not the article on the contracture.

Rick Ulrich · Post by **Rick Ulrich** » 21 Dec 2013 8:20 pm

Ed, I had these lumps developing in my hands about 8 years ago. I went to my primary care and he sent me to a hand specialist. The specialist took one look and said, "You have Dupuytrens Contracture." He said there was no treatment for it until your hand begins to look like a claw. He said they could do surgery to release your fingers, but he offered no other type of treatment. It made me mad, so I started exercising my hands by stretching my fingers backwards. I have been doing that ever since and my hands haven't gotten worse. They actually seem to be better. I would imagine it is different for each person and I caught it before it got too bad. The only times my hands will bother me is when I use hand tools and hold a handle tightly. Other than that I don't notice it too much. Hope you might have the same good fortune I have had. One interesting fact the doctor told me was that my ancestors were from Northern Europe. I already knew that. He said that those who contract DC almost always have Northern European ancestors. So, unless someone has Northern European ancestry they probably will never experience Dupuytrens Contracture.

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 21 Dec 2013 9:18 pm

I've had it for about 15 years. The first Doctor told me then that I should leave it alone until it got worse. Last week a Dr. looked at my hand and said he could do the injections to help disolve the bumps but I'm not sure if I want to do that yet. It is slowly getting worse but I'll probably retire from picking before I want to risk anything.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 22 Dec 2013 5:37 pm

I have a retired doctor friend who is encouraging me to do more stretching. Seems like it ought ot work. I haven't done it regularly though. I should work harder on that. All conventional treatments, according to those two links, are risky.

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 22 Dec 2013 11:59 pm

I don't know about other methods but I can tell you something about the operations.
I've had three operations for this. The first one was on my right hand about 14yrs ago. I had waited too late and they had to remove the little finger at the 2nd joint.
But about 6yrs ago I developed the problem in my other hand and had two operation. The last operation was because the first doctor did a bad job and another doctor had to do it over.
The downside is that I lost part of my little finger and suffered with a batched operation on the other hand.
The up side is that my fingers all work fine and are very flexible. So all and all Id say that in my case the operations did the job and my only bad consequence was waiting too long before I got something done with my little finger.
I think the most important thing is to get a doctor that is good at doing these kinds of operations.
Then go to therapy for exercise and scar cares (infection can be a problem and requires diligence) and don't wait too long.
I'm sure that they by now have gotten much better at this sort of operation.

James Allison · Post by **James Allison** » 23 Dec 2013 9:23 am

I got it in my left hand and had the operation. The Doc knew I was a musician and assured me he would take the utmost care. Well he screwed up and nicked the nerve leaving my ring finger paralyzed. That was about 8 years ago and after learning to play with three fingers I found another Doc who said he could fix it. That operation was successful. He restored the feeling in my finger but it still is all twisted. My guitar playing dexterity is about 75%, I can't make the main mandolin chord and playing the fiddle almost impossible. I still suck at steel but I have received countless cards and letters thanking me for not playing the fiddle any more...

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 11 Jun 2014 1:41 pm

Rick Ulrich wrote:Ed, I had these lumps developing in my hands about 8 years ago. I went to my primary care and he sent me to a hand specialist. The specialist took one look and said, "You have Dupuytrens Contracture." He said there was no treatment for it until your hand begins to look like a claw. He said they could do surgery to release your fingers, but he offered no other type of treatment. It made me mad, so I started exercising my hands by stretching my fingers backwards. I have been doing that ever since and my hands haven't gotten worse. They actually seem to be better. I would imagine it is different for each person and I caught it before it got too bad. The only times my hands will bother me is when I use hand tools and hold a handle tightly. Other than that I don't notice it too much. Hope you might have the same good fortune I have had. One interesting fact the doctor told me was that my ancestors were from Northern Europe. I already knew that. He said that those who contract DC almost always have Northern European ancestors. So, unless someone has Northern European ancestry they probably will never experience Dupuytrens Contracture.

Well, I'm on this. I do still have days

and then other days

. But the general direction is positive. I am going to go from an 8 string guitar to a 6 for the wider string spacing. It ought to help me avoid hitting the wrong strings. If you ask me, 6 stringers have better tone anyway. I have found that lap swimming on a regular basis seems to help.

Wally Davis · Post by **Wally Davis** » 11 Jun 2014 2:33 pm

I'll post more on this when I get a chance. Mine was really bad and I had major surgery on my right hand this past January.

Wally Davis · Post by **Wally Davis** » 12 Jun 2014 7:10 am

There are other treatments for this disease other than surgery. One of the most popular for the contracture is called Xiaflex. They have been doing this for the last four years. They inject the contracture and it begins working on the cord. The next day they break the contracture loose. They have another technique called "needling." This is more invasive. Not near as severe as the surgery.
I had the contracture in the pinky on my right hand. It was bent at a 90Â° angle. I also had it down the side of my index finger and it was drawing it in. I had my surgery on January 21. I am now just getting to play pretty close to normal again.
The key is to get in early and have it taken care of. I waited way too long. I will have the needling procedure done on my left hand in December.
I have the disease to the point they think they will have to perform some procedure every 3 to 5 years.