Needle Fasciotomy or Collagenase Injection in the Treatment of Dupuytren's Contracture: A Retrospective Study.

UNLABELLED: Dupuytren's contracture is common among older people in Sweden. Previous studies comparing the treatment with an injection of collagenase with percutaneous needle fasciotomy found no differences.

METHODS

We retrospectively compared the degree of improvement in the deficit in extension of the joints in 2 groups of patients who had been treated with collagenase (71 fingers) or needle fasciotomy (109 fingers) before and 1 year after treatment. We compared the improvement of the extension deficit among the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and proximal interphalangeal joints before and after the intervention; additionally, the level of improvement was classified into 3 levels (mild = 0° to 29°; moderate = 30° to 60°; considerable = 61° and more).

RESULTS

The degree of improvement of extension in the MCP joints was 11° greater in the collagenase group (P = 0.001). The number of patients who had an improvement of >60° (considerable) in extension was greater in the collagenase group (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Collagenase was more effective than needle fasciotomy in treating extension deficits of the MCP joints in Dupuytren's contracture in this retrospective analysis. Further prospective studies are required to confirm the finding.