When was the last time you treated a patient with Dupuytren’s Disease?
Although Dupuytren’s disease is rare (around 5% of the population in North America experience it), it is a painful condition for those who do develop it. As it progresses, it can significantly affect a patient’s daily activities and reduce their quality of life.
Despite extensive research, there remains some debate about the best approach to management, and thus the disease lacks a universal treatment protocol. In the early stages of the disease, medical therapy and physiotherapy modalities are preferred by most professionals. Collagenase injection and radiotherapy, dimethyl sulfoxide, topical use of Vitamin A and E, hyperbaric oxygen application, corticosteroids, gamma-interferon, and 5-fluorouracil applications are all common applications in the advanced stages. Surgical options are also often considered for joint contractures, particularly as the disease progresses and gets worse.
All of these can be invasive to some degree, with some seriously impacting daily activities, most notably surgery. Furthermore, the instances of reoccurrence are high. So, is there an alternative option that allows patients to regain movement and get pain relief long term? New research suggests there is.
Shockwave Therapy for Treating Dupuytren’s Disease
To find an alternative, less invasive, treatment modality for Dupuytren’s Disease, researchers at the Metin Sabanci Baltalimani Bone Diseases Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, set out to investigate how the use of shockwave therapy might be of value to patients with this disease. Their main goals were to examine if there was potential for it to help reduce the contractures, alleviate pain, increase range of motion, and delay surgery long term.
Using a variety of evaluation tools, the researchers discovered that, over 6 weeks, there was a “significant improvement in the second measurement of VAS and DASH scores compared with the preoperative values. The increase in the second and final follow-up measurements of the MAYO score and grip strength results compared with the preoperative values was found significant.”
After assessing the results, the researchers concluded that if a patient is treated with shockwave therapy in the early stages rather than with injections or surgery, it can increase the quality of life and even delay the recurrence of contractures.
If you haven’t used shockwave therapy to treat your patients with Dupuytren’s Disease, it might be time to start! This research suggests great potential, and it might just give your patients the relief they need to get back to their every day! Shockwave Canada offers a range of devices from industry-leading STORZ medical devices, a pioneer in the field for over 70 years. Call 1-866-267-4162 or visit www.shockwavecanada.com today to learn more.
