PERCUTANEOUS FASCIOTOMY FOR DUPUYTRENS CONTRACTURE - A 10-YEAR REVIEW

Percutaneous fasciotomy has long been established as a treatment for D upuytren's contracture. There have been no studies to date of the long -term results of this procedure. We followed up a group of 82 patients 10 years after operation in 1981 and 1982. Thirty-four per cent had h ad no further surgery. The mean time to further surgery in the rest wa s 60.4 months. Splitting of the palmar skin which healed with regular dressings occurred in three cases. No other complications mere noted. Percutaneous fasciotomy can produce lasting improvement in patients wi th Dupuytren's contracture and still has an important role in their ov erall management.