As we age, a number of possible issues can arise including things like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease as well as Dupuytren’s contracture. Chances are that you have seen someone suffering from Dupuytren’s contracture and did not even know it.
While at first, there may be some pain associated with the condition; this pain will gradually go away. It has been found to be more common in men then in women but only affect those of Scandinavian descent, especially those who are of Viking descent. Furthermore, it only makes a presence after the age of forty and 70% of those who have Dupuytren’s contracture have been found to be genetically predisposed. There has also been trace amounts of links between this condition and smoking, diabetes, epilepsy, alcoholism as well as pulmonary tuberculosis.
The only real option for treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture is surgery. This surgical procedure usually entails both the palm of the hand as well as the affected fingers. In the case of the palm of the hand, the hand will be opened up allowing the surgeon to clean away the scar tissue that has found its way entangled between the tendons. After which the surgeon may also opt to make a series of incisions on the inside of the knuckles of the affected fingers as a means of making the skin looser so that the fingers can move more freely.
This gives the person the appearance of a hooked hand in which the three smaller fingers of the hand are stuck in a semi-closed position. Furthermore, Dupuytren’s contracture can affect any hand and not just the dominant one as well as affecting both hands simultaneously.
The chances of this occurring increase drastically on persons over the age of 40 and who are of Scandinavian descent. This condition can often be remedied through a particular surgical procedure which loosens up and removes some of the scar tissue surrounding the tendons in the palm of the hand.
Volkmanns contracture and Dupuytrens contracture closely resemble one another. However the causes of the two contractures are very different. Both of these can be remedied by a surgery procedure.
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