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Dupuytren's Contracture

Edward Calif, M.D., and Shalom Stahl, M.D.

N Engl J Med 2007; 356:e11March 22, 2007

Article

A 57-year-old man with a history of diabetes mellitus and alcohol consumption was referred to the hand surgery unit owing to contractures of fingers of both hands. He reported that his brother and father had similar contractures. Physical examination revealed flexion contractures involving the bilateral third digits and the right fifth digit. The patient had a severe contracture of 100 degrees at the proximal interphalangeal joint of the right small finger and thickened palmar fascia with multiple cords ending in firm nodules. The condition was diagnosed as Dupuytren's contracture, a fibroproliferative disorder of the palmar fascia, and the patient subsequently underwent bilateral partial fasciectomy. Common risk factors for Dupuytren's contracture include a family history of the disorder, diabetes, alcohol consumption, and the use of vibratory machinery. In this case, healing was uneventful, and no recurrence of contracture was observed on follow-up.

Edward Calif, M.D.
Shalom Stahl, M.D.
Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel

Citing Articles (2)

Citing Articles

  1. 1

    Alexis Descatha, Pénélope Jauffret, Jean-François Chastang, Yves Roquelaure, Annette Leclerc. (2011) Should we consider Dupuytren's contracture as work-related? A review and meta-analysis of an old debate. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 12:1, 96
    CrossRef

  2. 2

    Gérard Lucas, Anne Brichet, Yves Roquelaure, Annette Leclerc, Alexis Descatha. (2008) Dupuytren's disease: Personal factors and occupational exposure. American Journal of Industrial Medicine 51:1, 9-15
    CrossRef