Duputren’s Contracture

Dupuytren’s Contracture Overview

Dupuytren’s contracture is thickening of the hand fascia—the fibrous layer of hand tissue. The fingers pull toward the palm of the hand and remain stuck, which makes it difficult to perform many hand movements required for normal day-to-day living. A Carolina Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Associates’ (CONA) hand specialist prescribes a customized treatment plan to treat Dupuytren’s contracture and reduce symptoms.

Symptoms & Causes

Dupuytren’s contracture symptoms include:

• Cord development on the palm
• Finger contracture(s)
• Small bumps on the palm

The Dupuytren’s contracture cause is not known. Risk factors include:

• Alcohol use
• Diabetes
• Family history
• Gender (men)
• Increasing age
• Northern European and Scandinavian ancestry

Common Treatments:

Nonsurgical treatment options are usually recommended first. After a thorough evaluation, a CONA hand specialist may recommend:

• A corticosteroid injection
• A custom made splint

Surgery may be recommended to treat severe Dupuytren’s contracture that does not improve after nonsurgical treatment. A CONA hand specialist carefully releases the thickened hand fascia and symptoms improve.