Dupuytren's disease in a child: a long-term evolution after surgery.

We report the case of a 13-year-old girl who presented with a fibrous nodular lesion on the palm of her hand. After ultrasonographic examination, surgical resection of the skin (dermofasciectomy) was performed, and a nodular phase mass was recovered, characterized as fusocellular fibroblast proliferation in a dense collagenous stroma with a cell population consisting of parallel fascicles of densely packed fusiform cells of a fibroblast strain. No signs of encapsulation or malignant changes were observed, all of which was consistent with Dupuytren's disease. This lesion is exceptional in childhood. Sixteen years later, the patient has not relapsed, and retains full active and passive mobility. Dupuytren's disease in childhood must be considered in the differential diagnosis of any hard palmar lesion. Diagnostic uncertainty and the fact that a hard palmar lesion in children may be clinically indistinguishable from a malignant process mean that resection of the lesion and histological examination are required.

Injectable collagenase Clostridium histolyticum as a nonsurgical treatment for Dupuytren's disease.

OBJECTIVE: Nonsurgical treatment of Dupuytren's disease using collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH). INDICATIONS: Metacarpophalangeal (MP) joint (20-100°) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint (20-80°) contractures. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Pregnancy, previous hypersensitivity to collagenase or excipients, anticoagulant use within 7 days prior to treatment. INJECTION TECHNIQUE: CCH injected directly into the Dupuytren's cord weakening the contracted cord. After injection, the patient returns the following day to allow CCH to lyse the collagen within the cord. An extension force is then applied to the involved finger to disrupt the weakened cord. POSTMANIPULATION MANAGEMENT: Use of extension splint at night, movement instructions during the day. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients (107 men; 13 women; mean age 62 years, range 30-84 years) were treated. In 49% the little finger, in 44% the ring finger, in 4% the middle finger, and in 3% the index finger was treated. Full release was achieved in 71%, partial release in 26%, and no change in 3% of patients. The median pretreatment contracture for the MP joint was 37° (range 25-100°) and PIP joint 51° (range 30-97°). At 12 months, the mean contracture for the MP joint was 9° (range 0-25°) and for the PIP joint 21° (range 10-36°). Adverse events observed in 96% of patients for 3 months . No tendon ruptures, anaphylactic reactions, or nerve or ligament injuries observed.

Use of resources and costs associated with the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture at an orthopedics and traumatology surgery department in Denia (Spain): collagenase clostridium hystolyticum versus subtotal fasciectomy.

BACKGROUND: Our purpose was to analyze and compare the use of direct health resources and costs generated in the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture using two different techniques: subtotal fasciectomy and infiltration with Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum (CCH) in regular clinical practice at the Orthopedic and Traumatology Surgery (OTS) Department at the Hospital de Denia (Spain). METHODS: Observational, retrospective study based on data from the computerized clinical histories of two groups of patients- those treated surgically using a one or two digit subtotal fasciectomy technique (FSC) and those treated with CCH infiltration, monitored in regular clinical practice from February, 2009 to May, 2012. Demographic (age, sex), clinical (number of digits affected and which ones) and use of resources (hospitalizations, medical visits, tests and drugs) data were collected. Resource use and associated costs, according to the hospital's accounting department, were compared based on the type of treatment from Spain's National Health Service. RESULTS: 91 patients (48 (52.8%) in the FSC group) were identified. The average age and number of digits affected was 65.9 (9.2) years and 1.33 (0.48) digits affected in the FSC group, and 65.1 (9.7) years and 1.16 (0.4) digits in the CCH group.Overall, the costs of treating Dupuytren's disease with subtotal FSC amount to €1,814 for major ambulatory surgery and €1,961 with hospital stay including admission, surgical intervention (€904), examinations, dressings and physiotherapy. As to collagenase infiltration, costs amount to €952 (including minor surgery admission, vial with product, office examination and dressings). Finally, comparing total costs for treatments, a savings of €388 is estimated in favor of CCH treatment in the best-case scenario (patient under MAS system with no need for physiotherapy) and €1,008 in the worst-case scenario (patient admitted to hospital needing subsequent physiotherapy), implying a savings of 29% and 51%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that treating patients with DC by injection with CCH at the OTS department of the Hospital de Denia generates a total savings of 29% and 51% (€388 and €1008) compared with fasciectomy at the time of treatment. Long term evolution of CCH treatment is uncertain and the recurrence rate unknown.

Tratamiento rehabilitador de la enfermedad de Dupuytren / Rehabilitating treatment of dupuytren´s contracture

En este trabajo se ha revisado la bibliografía reciente sobre el tratamiento de la enfermedad de Dupuytren, seleccionando los aspectos de más interés relativos a la rehabilitación en el período postoperatorio. Se repasan la etiología, las manifestaciones clínicas, el tratamiento conservador, las diferentes intervenciones quirúrgicas y las posibles complicaciones que pueden derivarse de éstas. Se expone además el tratamiento postoperatorio, detallando el tipo de férulas que se pueden utilizar, el programa de ejercicios, la actuación sobre el edema y el tratamiento de la cicatriz. Después de la cirugía un tratamiento rehabilitador precoz puede mejorar los resultados y prevenir complicaciones (AU)

Hand images: normal and abnormal.

Supplemental hand scintigrams with abnormal features were obtained from 29% of patients (134 of 463) who were referred for routine minified bone imaging with 99mTc-Sn-polyphosphate. A wide spectrum of normal activity distribution ranging from well-defined to "wash-out" images is described in 329 cases (71%). In the abnormal images of the joints and individual bones, the changes--although not always characteristic of some particular disease--may often suggest a diagnosis and/or its pathophysiologic status. The joints with heavy uptake correlate well with the presence of active clinical findings, e.g., in the arthritides. The bone feature associated with metabolic disease, especially when full-blown, may be fairly characteristic. A potential application is in the assessment of digital circulation, particularly in obliterative vascular diseases such as scleroderma, Buerger's disease, chronic neuropathies, and possibly other collagen or vascular diseases that involve the hands. Interesting images, probably of somewhat limited usefulness, are observed in some congenital anomalies, fractures, camptodactyly, contracture deformities, unilateral lymphedema after mastectomy, etc.