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New Way to Treat Dupuytren’s Contracture

Dupuytren’s contracture is a condition in which one or more fingers curl in toward the palm. The victim may be completely unable to open the hand and this can eventually lead to a permanent disability. The usual treatment is surgery and extensive post-surgical hand therapy. Even with this, however, the condition may recur.

A study in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that there may be a different way to treat this problem. The investigators injected an enzyme that breaks down collagen in the affected finger. The lead author describes the treatment as an enzymatic knife that weakens the toughened tissue that has caused the contracture. In the study, the enzyme worked for nearly two thirds of the fingers treated. The placebo only worked for 9 percent. There were side effects, such as pain at the injection site, swelling and bruising. Nevertheless, this approach represents a whole new way to treat Dupuytren’s contracture. If it holds up, the enzyme may be tested in other fibrotic conditions such as frozen shoulder syndrome and Peyronie’s disease in which the penis bends to the side.

[New England Journal of Medicine, Sept. 3, 2009]

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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