Surgical Treatment of Dupuytren's Contracture; Results and Complications of Surgery: Our Experience.

Dupuytren's disease is one of the fibro-proliferative conditions affecting the palmar and digital fascia. This disease has been known to surgeons and treated by them for at least 200 years. Dupuytren's disease is very common in Northern Europe and also in countries inhabited by immigrants from Northern Europe. Dupuytren's contracture is stated to be uncommon in Indian subcontinent and very little has been written about this disease in India. The authors have however come across 30 patients with Dupuytren's contracture and they are the subject of this paper, with special emphasis on its surgical correction and complications of surgical treatment. Patients were categorized into stages I, II and III as per the severity of disease. Regional fasciectomy was performed in 90% of the patients and extensive fasciectomy in 10% of patients. Most of wounds were closed by primary closure with z-plasty. In rest of the patients free skin grafts were used to close the wound, when primary closure was not possible. The patients were followed up regularly for 5 years and the results of surgical treatment were categorized into excellent, good, fair and poor. The results were excellent in 23 patients (76.66%), good in six patients (20%) and fair in one patient (3.33%). Post operative edema and some stiffness was seen in two patients. Wound infection was seen in one patient and haematoma in one patient. The correct surgical technique and meticulous post operative care is needed to achieve higher rates of correction and to limit the complications and recurrence.