Hyperbaric oxygen for the treatment of early-phase Dupuytren's contracture

Dupuytren's disease (DD) is a proliferative disorder of autosomal‐dominant inheritance, with variable penetrance of gene expression. The treatment of DD is challenging. Both operative and nonoperative approaches were reported for treatment of the disease, but no perfect approach has gained popularity as the best choice of treatment. Most of the emphasis has been placed on surgical techniques, but outcomes were reported to be dependent on some variables such as case selection, timing of surgery, and the surgeon's training and experience. In this paper, we report on a hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment for early‐phase DD. HBO treatment was applied to a female aged 23 years who had a mild form of DD. Physical findings and complaints before and after HBO treatment were compared. Total relief of symptoms as well as physical findings were obtained with HBO treatment. HBO for the treatment of DD is a novel concept. Having treated only one case is not enough to conclude that HBO is the only effective mode of treatment for DD. HBO should also be tried to treat early‐phase or mild contractures of DD. Unfortunately, HBO has a disadvantage, i.e., cost. But HBO is not invasive, and because of the nature of HBO treatment, most of the complications seen after surgeries, e.g., wound‐healing problems, damage to the digital nerves and vessels, buttonholing of the skin, and tendon sheath opening, are not seen. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.