Dupuytren’s (pronounced DOO-puh-trehns) is a connective tissue disease that affects one or both hands. The disease cuased raised nodules and dimples in the skin of the palm that eventually tighten and begin to pull the fingers into a bent position.
Cords resembling tendons become present in the palm due to the disease’s affect on the tissue. The fingers most often affected are the thumb, ring, and small fingers.
Dupuytren’s typically takes ten years to develop. Many people who have Dupuytren’s have a family history of the disease.
The cause of Dupuytren’s Disease remains unknown.
What is known is that the disease results in thickening and hardening of the tissue on the hand, located in the palm, known as the fascia. Cells called fibroblasts, that are normally responsible for closing open wounds, are found within the diseased tissue.
The reason for the activation of these cells is a mystery since Dupuytren’s can strike when there has been no damage to the hand.