Dr. Rachel Rohde, MD

Certain injuries require immobilization for healing; often this requires the application of a "cast."  A cast is made of hard material, usually plaster or fiberglass, which is wrapped all the way around the arm or the leg. Cotton or other padding is used first to pad the skin and then plaster or

Unless you have a "waterproof" cast, you will need to keep it clean and dry. If plaster material gets wet, it will soften and will not harden again. If you have a fiberglass cast, it is the cotton padding underneath that will not dry fully. This can injure your skin.

You can purchase a pre-made cast p

The cause of Dupuytren’s is unknown. The disease itself involves overgrowth of the soft tissue just under the skin of the palm; this is called "fascia." Lumps or cords can form in the palm and cause the fingers to contract. Much research is being conducted in this area, but we don't have a great

The biggest "risk" of surgery is recurrence of the contracture; there is about a 50% recurrence rate within five years, which is an unfortunate problem with Dupuytren's. 

Another risk of surgery is wound problems; since there often is too little skin to cover the newly straightened hand, either skin grafting

Surgical treatment of Dupuytren's disease can improve function of the fingers and appearance of the hand. Most people who seek treatment do so because they have trouble shaking hands, donning gloves, putting the hand in a pocket, or placing the palm flat on a table. Surgery can correct those problems.

Scaphoid fractures result from a fall onto your outstretched hand. You might have pain, swelling, and/or bruising. This commonly is misdiagnosed as a “sprain” and unfortunately not discovered until long after the injury.

Initial X-rays might or might not show the fracture. If you have a lot of tenderness at

Pregnant women commonly develop carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The median nerve runs through your forearm, wrist, and hand and supplies sensation to the thumb, index finger, long finger, and half of the ring finger. It also is responsible for innervating most muscles that control the thumb. At the

Before your surgery, you might receive a phone call from the facility where you are having surgery regarding preoperative instructions. Listen very carefully and take notes; you would be surprised how much you can forget when you are a little anxious! In most cases, general guidelines include:  

Mallet finger, or inability to extend the joint at the very end of the finger, results from the tendon being torn from the bone. Sometimes the tendon tears off a piece of bone; this is called a “mallet fracture.” These are treated best by splinting the joint in slight hyperextension, allowing the

Dupuytren’s disease or contracture is an abnormal thickening of the fascia, or soft tissue under the skin. It often begins with firm “lumps” in the palm. “Cords” can develop, extending from the palm towards the fingers, often the ring and small fingers. Ultimately, these might cause the fingers to

Patients without or with minimal contractures can be observed. As contractures occur and progress, however, surgery to improve finger position and function can be helpful. The major risks of surgery are recurrence of the contracture, nerve injury leading to loss of sensation, and wound problems. Hand therapy

Collagenase clostridium histolyticum is an injectable substance to treat certain types of Dupuytren’s contractures. It has been approved by the FDA, but not every contracture can be treated with this, and as with any procedure, there still are risks involved. The substance essentially dissolves some

Your hand specialist might give you a prescription to see a hand therapist. These are occupational or physical therapists with additional special training in hand therapy. They can show you exercises to improve or maintain range of motion, assist with wound care if needed, and create custom splints

After Dupuytren's surgery, the goal is to regain and maintain motion while healing occurs. A course of splinting and therapy by a therapist who specializes in hand therapy is prescribed and supervised by the hand surgeon. A nighttime splint that keeps the fingers straight at night might be used for

There are a few procedures performed for Dupuytren's disease; the most common is called fasciectomy (fash-ee-EC-toe-mee). This involves removing the extra tissue that is causing the contracture, allowing the contracted joints to be straightened. This generally is done under "regional" anesthesia,