What is Dupuytren's contracture?

Dupuytren's contracture is a hand disorder in which the fingers bend towards the palm and cannot be straightened. The little or ring fingers are most commonly affected, but any or all fingers can be involved. Dupuytren’s contracture is the end result of Dupuytren’s disease, the most common heritable disorder affecting connective tissues. Not all people experience the contracture (bent fingers). Dupuytren's contracture progresses slowly and is usually painless. The disorder develops when the tissues under the skin of the palm thicken, forming knots (collagen nodes or nodules) and cords of tissue. These cords can then shorten, pulling one […]