Bilateral hand dupuytren’s disease: Report of a rare case

Abstract

Dupuytren’s contracture was described by Baron Guillaume Dupuytren in 1831 and subsequently, it was a term as Dupuytren’s disease (DD). We illustrate a rare case of bilateral DD. A 68-year-old male farmer with no underlying medical illness presented with bilateral hand contractures. It affected his right ring and little finger and left middle and little finger. Further questioning revealed the presence of a neglected gunshot wound involving the right hand. He also had a history of wound debridement for a left-hand abscess, twenty years prior, which had healed via secondary intention. Hand examination showed evident palmar bands over the metacarpals extending to the proximal interphalangeal joints of the affected fingers. Both hands exhibited grade three contractures. Despite the chronicity, high recurrence rate, and history of defaulting follow-up; we still offered him treatment in the form of surgery for his bilateral hand contractures, i.e Dupuytren’s release. However, he was not keen on any surgical interventions. This case was worth sharing because DD is usually unilateral, either affecting the right or left hand, seldom both.