[The treatment of Dupuytren's contracture. A social medical problem (author's transl)].

After a brief description of the characteristics of Dupuytren's disease the operative and conservative therapeutic measures are examined from both clinical and social medical aspects. It is shown in 154 patients with Dupuytren's contracture of the hands in various stages that an advance of this disease could usually be prevented by treatment with soft X-rays. A comparison of costs shows that this therapy is at least 11 times cheaper than a good operative procedure without follow-up treatment. For the patient it is highly important that only little time is lost in the outpatient compared with inpatient treatment. Loss of work-place, professional incapacity or inability to work because of Dupuytren's disease can be prevented with a probability bordering on certainty.