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| HAND & WRIST PROBLEMS |
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| Dupuytren's Disease |
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| What is it? |
| Dupuytren’s disease is an abnormal thickening of the
fascia (the tissue between the skin and the tendons
in the palm) that may limit movement of one or more
fingers. In some patients, a cord forms beneath the
skin that stretches from the palm into the fingers. The
cord can cause the fingers to bend into the palm so
they cannot be fully straightened. Sometimes, the
disease will cause thickening over the knuckles of
the finger. It can also occur in the soles of the feet. |
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| What causes it? |
| The cause of Dupuytren’s is unknown and there is no
permanent cure. The disease is usually painless. This
is a non-cancerous condition. Dupuytren’s disease
mostly affects white people with ancestors from
Northern Europe. It occurs more often in men than in
women, and usually starts after age 40. In many
cases, the disease runs in families. |
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| Some people may develop a more severe form of
Dupuytren’s disease. These may be people who: |
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develop the disease at a young age |
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have the disease in areas other than the hand |
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| Injuries to the hand have not been directly linked to
causing the disease. |
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| Signs and symptoms |
| Dupuytren’s disease occurs slowly. It is usually
noticed as a small lump or pit in the palm. This tends
to occur near the crease of the hand that is closest
to the base of the ring and little fingers. With time, a
cord may develop between the palm and the
fingers. |
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| The disease is usually noticed when the palm cannot
be placed flat on an even surface, such as a table
top. In severe cases, drawing of the fingers into the
palm interferes with everyday activities, like washing
hands, wearing gloves, and putting hands in
pockets. |
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| How does the disease develop? |
| The disease most often begins in the palm of the
hand at the base of the ring or little fingers. A lump
or pit may show up months or even years before a
cord develops from the palm to the fingers. Drawing
of the fingers into the hand can occur because of
contracture of the fascia near the joints in the
fingers. The skin may be involved with the disease,
but the tendons in the hand are not affected. Having
the disease in both hands is common. |
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NEW Treatment |
| There is no permanent cure for Dupuytren’s disease.
Surgery can relieve the bending of the fingers into
the palm, but the condition can return with time. The
goal of surgery for Dupuytren’s disease is to restore
the use of the fingers. Your doctor should advise you
on whether surgery is recommended in your case. |
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XIAFLEX™
is the only FDA-approved nonsurgical choice
for the treatment of
adult patients with Dupuytren’s contracture with a palpable cord.
XIAFLEX Patient Brochure
Download and print
a comprehensive
brochure about XIAFLEX
and Dupuytren’s
disease.http://www.xiaflex.com/docs/xiaflex_patient_brochure.pdf
DDownload and
print a comprehensive
brochure about
Dupuytren’s disease,
its
progression, and treatment options.
http://www.xiaflex.com/docs/PatientEdBrochure.pdf
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| Copyright © American Society for Surgery of the
Hand 2001. |
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