Dupuytren’s disease

If you have an unpleasant feeling in the palm of your hand and your nerves feel too tense, it may be Dupuytren’s contracture. There is a remedy for this.

Dr. Karim can provide you with two types of treatment:

– An atraumatic one consisting of an incision in the nerve under local anaesthesia. This is called percutaneous needle fasciotomy (PNF).
– Another more drastic procedure consists of the removal of the entire nerve by opening the skin. This is done under general or local anaesthesia. This treatment is called a fasciectomy.

STEP-BY-STEP PLAN

Preliminary visit
If you request an appointment you can nearly always count on being received by Dr. Karim within 2 weeks. We hold a preliminary visit in which we assess your requirements

Health insurance
If you have health insurance, it may cover this type of surgery. Find out more.

Operation
The procedure will normally take place after 2 weeks

Rest
You have to take a week off after the procedure.

Hand Therapy
If desired, hand therapy will be performed in the post-treatment process.

Follow-up and removal of stitches
About ten days after the operation you will return for us to see how you are and remove the stitches.

Final checkup
Three months after the intervention you will return for a final checkup.

Before the operation

Travel
Because you cannot drive home after an operation (no car or bicycle), it is important to make travel arrangements.

Drugs
Do you use blood-thinning drugs? Please let us know if you do. Ask the doctor from whom you get the prescription and find out if you can temporarily stop treatment. Your doctor will tell you how many days before the operation you should or can stop taking the blood-thinning drug. Dr. Karim wants to ensure this is possible in order to avoid unnecessary risks.

Disease
Fever or flu the day before the operation? Contact Dr. Karim to decide if the operation can be performed or should be postponed.

Cosmetics and personal care products
We understand that you always want to look your best, but on the day of surgery you cannot use skin care products or makeup.

Alcohol
You may feel nervous about the operation, but you can’t drink alcohol the day before (or on the day itself, of course!)! Drinking alcohol increases the chances of subsequent bleeding of the wound.

During the operation

In the case of percutaneous needle fasciotomy (PNF)

Signing of the consent form
Local anaesthetic
Puncture of the Dupuytren’s nerve and distension of the affected finger
Operating time: about 30 minutes

In the case of complete fasciectomy

Signing of the consent form
General or local anaesthetic
Opening of the skin and removal of the Dupuytren’s nerve
Stitching of the skin
Operating time: about 60 minutes

After the operation

Sling
You will be provided with a sling to hold your arm up so that your hand is at rest and does not swell (or does so minimally).

Sleep
Sleep the first day with your hand raised a little, for example on a pillow, to prevent / reduce swelling.

Dressing
You can remove the dressing yourself after 48 hours. Then you can put a patch on the wound.

Water
You can not wet your hand until you have checked with us.

Pain
Your hand will feel sore for the first few days. This lasts for a maximum of two weeks.

Drugs
If necessary, you can take two 500 mg paracetamol tablets four times a day.

Rest
You have to take a week off after surgery. Do not use the affected hand until we see you again.

Stitches
The stitches are removed after ten days.

Scar cream
Four weeks after the operation, you can start applying a few smears of scar cream.

Risks

Bleeding
This is common. The skin turns blue around the contour (bruising). It will disappear after a few days.

Infection of the wound
Very rare.

Nerve damage
Very occasionally the tendon under Dupuytren’s nerve may be damaged. This does not cause any discomfort.

Opening of the wound
The wound may open when the patches or stitches are removed prematurely. Keep the patches and stitches in place until the check-up appointment.

Distrophy
Very rarely, persistent painful swelling develops. Contact us immediately if you notice this.

Results

Dupuytren’s contracture does not disappear, but its symptoms do.

Information request

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Facts about the Dupuytren’s disease treatment

Price from

Consult your insurance

Operation time

15 min

Verzekerd

Check with your insurance