Tissue adaptation rate in the treatment of Dupuytren contracture

Basic research (cross-sectional). Dupuytren disease can cause disabling contractures of the finger joints. After partial fasciectomy, postoperative hand splinting helps to maintain extension range of motion. To measure how the contraction forces of the finger on the splint change over time. Subjects who were treated for Dupuytren contracture with partial fasciectomy were invited to participate in this study. Force sensors were placed in their dorsal extension splint, and the applied force was measured continually for several weeks. Eleven subjects (aged 59-75 years) with the metacarpophalangeal (8) or proximal interphalangeal (3) as their most severely affected finger joint participated. Each night, the measured force consistently decreased to reach a plateau after about 3 hour (adaptation time, 2.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-31.8 hours). The time to reach this plateau decreased with time after surgery (≈5%/day, P = .0005, R2 = 0.08). The observed rate of decrease in the measured force indicates a tissue adaptation time of approximately 3 hours. •This study presents the forces in postoperative splints in the treatment of Dupuytren.•Each night, the forces decreased over time, reaching a plateau after about 3 hours.•The rate of decrease indicates a tissue adaptation time of approximately 3 hours.