WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET SURGERY FOR DUPUYTREN'S CONTRACTURE?: GET THE ANSWER FROM HARVARD HEALTH PUBLISHING.

Answered by Dr. Robert H. Shmerling

M.D. Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing · 30 years of experience · USA

Surgery is not always necessary for Dupuytren's contracture. In fact, for mild symptoms, no treatment may be recommended. Physical therapy and the use of splints are commonly recommended as initial treatments though their effectiveness is uncertain. Other options include steroid injections, insertion of a needle to disrupt thickened tissue, or injection of a medication to soften the thickened tissue. Here’s what happens when surgery is performed for Dupuytren’s contracture: • The hand is cleaned well with an antiseptic wash • A medication is injected in the arm or neck to make the affected hand numb. • The surgeon makes small incisions to remove thickened tissue. This allows the scarred and shortened tendons that were stuck in a flexed position to extend. A bandage is placed over the wound and you’re allowed to go home within a few hours of surgery. • For more complicated surgery (such as when prior surgery has failed), general anesthesia, skin grafts and an overnight stay in the hospital may be recommended.

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2024-05-07T13:07:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd