Needle fasciotomy for dupuytrens disease

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Needle aponeurotomy is the least invasive means of treating Dupuytrens disease, This procedure is carried out with you awake under local anaesthetic a fine needle is used to cut the cord at several levels in the palm or finger and the finger is straightened out. 

Depending on how complicated the contracture is the procedure takes up to half an hour.

After the procedure you will go home with a simple dressing which will need to be kept clean and dry for a few days. After this you can return to normal activities with no restriction.

Any procedure carries risks and whilst every care is taken to minimise the chances the following are some of the more common - but still rare  - complications that can arise:

Infection - Significant infection is very rare

Skin tears -  Sometimes when straightening the finger the skin can tear open - these small wounds heal very well with dressings.

Tender scar - The small scars are occasionally tender but massaging them can help settle them down

Stiffness, swelling and pain  - A degree of stiffness , swelling and pain following surgery is normal. Some people react badly to an operation and develop more of this. This in called complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and requires specialist treatment.

Nerve injury resulting in numbness.

Incomplete correction - It is not always possible to get the finger fully straight.

Recurrance - No treatment for Dupuytrens disease is curative and because with the needle treatment the tissue is cut not removed it can come back sooner than with open surgery.