Dupuytren’s Disease

Dupuytren’s disease is a fibroproliferative disease affecting the palmar fascia of the hand and leading to flexion contractures of the digits. It was first described in Northern European populations and derived its namesake from Dr. Baron Dupuytren, a French sur - geon, who was one of the first to lecture on the disease. The etiology of Dupuytren’s dis ease is unclear but is likely influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Older individuals and men are most at risk of developing the disease. Dupuytren’s disease is a clinical diagnosis and patients often present with gradually worsening flexion contrac - tures. Mild disease is usually observed, but surgical treatment is preferred for debilitat ing contractures. A variety of surgical techniques have been described involving either incising or excising diseased fascia. Overall, surgery is effective in correcting contractures and improving function, but despite successful treatment some patients still experience recurrence. More recently, collagenase injections and percutaneous procedures have been utilized to treat Dupuytren’s disease and have yielded promising results in select patients.