About Dupuytren's
Dupuytren's contracture, also referred to as Dupuytren's disease, is a thickening and
contracture of tissue beneath the skin on the palm of the hand and fingers. Dupuytren's
is often not only restricted to this underlying tissue (called fascia), but may also
involve other surrounding tissue, as well as the skin.
Dupuytren's condition results from the growth of collagen fibres around the
tendons in the palm of the hand. Think of it as scar tissue forming around
a tendon. The collagen accumulates, over time, in these tissues (palmar
fascia) and can start to pull the finger(s) inward. As a Dupuytren's contracture
progresses, more of the fascia becomes thicker and shortened, the presence
of a cord (or cords) becomes apparent beneath the skin, and the fingers
increasingly curl inwards. Eventually it may become impossible to flatten or
straighten out the hand.
The condition was named after 19th century surgeon Baron Guillaume
Dupuytren (1777–1835) who was the first to describe the condition in detail
during a December 1831 lecture. Dupuytren's notes and observations on
the condition would eventually go on to fill 5 volumes.