Dupuytren's Contracture

[Jamespepperpot]

On 17/01/2024 at 18:06, Mick Dempsey said:

I remember you talking about this a week or so back.

I have it, but much much less advanced than you on my left hand.

Was only you mentioning it diagnosed it for me.

I have similar lumps in both my hands, the first one appeared after a pulley injury from catching a crimp wrong whilst rock climbing and the second was from pulling too hard in a pocket with my middle and ring finger. I've seen a lot of older climbers with these lumps and assumed they were some sort of tendon inflammation/repair. A bit like scar tissue. I had also wondered if it might be dupuytrens contracture though

[roboted]

@maybelateron Pleased to see that it is going to plan. That's some incision !

I have to say I didn't appreciate how invasive the procedure was. 

If you were  driving an auto, would you be behind the wheel any quicker ?

[maybelateron]

3 hours ago, roboted said:

Pleased to see that it is going to plan. That's some incision !

I have to say I didn't appreciate how invasive the procedure was. 

If you were  driving an auto, would you be behind the wheel any quicker ?

No quicker to get behind the wheel of an auto. It is the risk of having to make a sudden steering movement that is the decider really. That said, I am able to use the hydrostatic tractor around the yard to bring logs in, as that has a steering wheel knob on it, and the loader control is in the right.

 

Looking again at my hand this evening I am now suspicious there might be more going on than the surgeon and I thought. I think there may well be an early band of tissue forming to the left of the scar, ie running towards my middle finger. With the amount that the very tight band that I have just had removed was lifting the skin up, I am wondering if this masked the early band to the middle finger, and without the middle finger being bent there was no other clue to this. I am not too concerned anyway, as I think that another scar over this possible band would make recovery slower, and I am guessing it would increase the risk of some of the skin between two cuts dying back due to loss of blood supply.

 

As the condition is prone to recurring after some years post op I am not too bothered. I had already reckoned on needing more surgery if I don't die young (ish). Being 64 and not yet planning on retiring, and carrying on with some climbing, I was assuming there will be further surgery at some stage.

[roboted]

@maybelateron

How's the healing and mobility coming along ?

[maybelateron]

Doing well thanks. Stitches are due out in two days.

 

Saw physio last week, 1 week post op, and she made me a thermoplastic moulded splint. I have to wear this at night for 3-4 months, keeping the finger straight. This is to prevent the scar tissue trying to pull the finger back into flexion/curled up.

 

I am meant to be doing excercises where I curl the fingers into full flexion, making a fist, but I have eased off on these. The reason for easing off is that I have no difficulty achieving full flexion already, but when making this movement I can see it is straining the wound edges apart in places. I have attached a couple of photos taken just now. I am sure there must be deeper absorbable stitches taking a lot of the strain on the wound.

 

Although it looks very scabby today I am sure within a few weeks it will look pretty good; the superficial depth of the wound is having to heal by what is called secondary intention - that is where a scab forms and the wound slowly closes from the edges.

[roboted]

Looks to be healing well.

[maybelateron]

Had stitches out yesterday, allowed to drive now.  

 

From tomorrow onwards I have to firmly massage moisturiser into the scar tissue until all the scabs have come away. Although some of it looks a bit rough at the moment it should look pretty good within a few weeks.

 

I am very happy with the result and progress so far.

[maybelateron]

Now three weeks post op and I am really please with progress. Saw physio for review this am who was equally happy with it. Having to firmly massage moisturiser into the scar, as a routine procedure. 

 

This afternoon I was fine using a drill and fitting storage lockers to a trailer. As of next week I shall be working again, but won't use big saws (MS462 and bigger) until 6 weeks post op, not will I climb until then.

 

I will try to use our electric saws as much as possible as these don't vibrate as much, although the little Echo top handle is really smooth on the hands. You can see how straight the previously bent finger is.

 

Pictures were taken today.

[roboted]

That's looking really good, you're healing  well and quick and obviously being  sensible  with what you do. Keep it up 👍

[maybelateron]

Four weeks post op tomorrow. Starting work today, being sensible and gentle with it. Tomorrow doing a hedge reduction which will involve loppers and MS220 battery saw (less vibes). This is in line with what the surgeon said would be sensible. I won't climb for another couple of weeks yet. Photo was taken this morning.