my husband has had DC for 20 years. The doctor said he had the worst case of DC he had ever seen. All fingers but the pointers and thumb on both hands are bent almost 90 degrees.
13 years ago he had surgery on his left hand. No problem said the prominent professor who operated on him.
He contracted golden staph infection in the wound. Numerous antibiotics did not cure it.
After the amputation of his little finger, the only way to get rid of the infection, he then suffered the beginning of RSD. Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. He has had continual, non-stop serious pain from the left hand for almost 13 years.
At no time was he told about the existence of RSD, and the high potential of this terrible, debilitating disease which has absolutely no cure. Even on this website, its simply mentioned as an afterthought, and isn't explained as it should be.
Also, sufferers of this condition can never have any other surgery, due to the risk of the pain being transferred to other parts of the body, as RSD is actually a form of brain damage.
I urge anyone with Dupuytrens who is considering surgery to fully understand the possible side effects including the worst scenario, of having to live with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy for the rest of their life, as my husband has to. It isn't a terminal illness... but many times has my husband wished it was.

What makes me and quite a number of informed individuals so rabid and crazy is that their certainly is an alternative to surgery but the vast majority of hand surgeons will not tell their patients about it. I have been told that I probably have a mild case of RSD since my Open Surgery 5 years ago. We find the CHS with the best reputation and then we trust what they say. Other than a few articles in print, the only other source of information is the Internet. I did some research before my surgery but every site I found all said the same thing: Surgery is the only option.

We have change that now to some extent, but not nearly enough. Still, the vast majority of new patents having surgery have no clue that an option exists. None. At least we've made a dent in this seemingly immovable wall, and time is on our side. At the very least Collegenase will eventually help put a stop to this madness because CHS seen to accept that as the alternative.

Hi TrevB, NA can be useful even in advanced stages of Dupuytren's contracture: http://www.dupuytren-online.info/needle_aponeurotomy.html . I am not claiming that NA can replace surgery for each and everyone, sure not, but it might be worth a try for many.

Wolfgang

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Is there always an alternative to surgery though Randy H? I'm sure that I've read, on UK sites at least, that NA is not suitable for everyone. If your hand is becoming seriously disabled then what options are there?



Cambidgeshire, UK.

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I am among the fortunate ones to have found this forum two weeks before my scheduled OS. I cancelled surgery, and had NA with Dr. Denkler in 2006. Unfortunately my DC returned after six months but I would (and probably will) have repeated NA's and maybe Xiaflex in the future before ever considering open surgery.

I went to a second opinion to another (very reputable) surgeon, who was honest enough to tell me that in my particular case OS would have a 90% recurrence and that he had high hopes for good results with Xiaflex when it comes out, he is totally opposed to all other non-surgical procedures (including NA and radiation).

OS might be the only solution for some, but all other possibilities should be explored...we are all grateful to this forum, all the wonderful doctors who are doing NA in this country and all the information we now have available on the internet that can help us make informed decisions.

because he says NA goes in blindly and can cause nerve damage...not true, since NA procedure relies on patient input and sensation during procedure...I just think most surgeons are just from the "old school" and cannot accept changes....besides with all the possible side effects of OS, including nerve damage, how can they say that? (I know someone that this happened to with OS).