The injection of nodules of Dupuytren's disease with triamcinolone acetonide.

Over a 4-year period 63 patients (75 hands) with Dupuytren's nodules were treated with a series of injections with the steroid triamcinolone acetonide directly into the area of disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether intralesional injections of triamcinolone acetonide could produce softening and flattening in nodules of Dupuytren's disease as seen in the intralesional injections of hypertrophic scars and keloids. After an average of 3.2 injections per nodule 97% of the hands showed regression of disease as exhibited by a softening or flattening of the nodule(s). Although some patients had complete resolution of the nodules, most experienced definite but incomplete resolution of the nodules in the range of 60% to 80%. Although a few patients did not experience recurrence or reactivation of the disease in the injected nodules or development of new nodules, 50% of patients did experience reactivation of disease in the nodules 1 to 3 years after the last injection, necessitating 1 or more injections. The findings of this study indicate that the intralesional injection of nodules of Dupuytren's disease with triamcinolone acetonide may modify the progression of the disease.