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Dupuytren's contracture

A firm cord forms in the palm and slowly pulls a finger down so it will not straighten. It is not arthritis and it is not a tumour, and most people never need an operation for it.

Do not wait for an appointment

Uncommon, and none of them is an emergency — but they change what we do.

  • The finger has become so bent that it catches on things, or you cannot wash the palm
  • The skin in the palm breaks down or becomes sore over the cord
  • A lump appears that is painful, growing quickly, or red and hot
  • It followed an injury to the hand rather than appearing slowly
Hand & wristSlow, over years, and often needs nothing

Do this

  • Try the table-top test at home, every few months. Lay the hand flat on a table. If the palm and all the fingers touch the surface, nothing needs doing yet. It is the simplest way to follow it yourself
  • Expect it to be slow. Most cords take years to change, and many never progress enough to matter
  • Tell us if it is affecting one particular task — putting a hand in a pocket, washing your face, wearing a glove. That is more useful to us than the angle itself
  • Keep using the hand normally. Work does not cause this and does not make it worse
  • Mention it if anyone in your family has had it. It runs in families, and that helps us know what to expect

Avoid this

  • Forcing the finger straight, or getting someone to pull on it. The cord does not stretch and you will only hurt the joint
  • Massaging or pressing the nodule hard
  • Injections or procedures sold as dissolving the lump, from anyone who has not examined the hand properly
  • Judging it by the lump. It is the loss of straightening that decides treatment, not how big the nodule feels

The questions everybody asks

What is the lump in my palm?

Thickened tissue under the skin, not a growth.

The layer of tissue that lies under the skin of the palm thickens into a nodule, and sometimes into a cord running towards a finger. It is the cord that bends the finger. It is not cancer and it does not become cancer.

Does it hurt?

Usually not.

Most people notice a lump, then a finger that will not flatten. Pain is uncommon and when it happens it is usually early, in the nodule itself. A painful hand with a bent finger may be something else and is worth examining.

When is an operation needed?

When the hand stops lying flat.

The usual guide is the table-top test — when the palm and fingers can no longer rest flat on a table, the contracture is affecting function, and that is the point at which surgery is discussed. Operating earlier does not prevent it coming back.

Will it come back after surgery?

It can, and that is worth knowing beforehand.

This is a condition of the tissue, not a single cord, so it can return in the same finger or appear in another. That is not a sign the operation failed. It is why surgery is timed by function rather than done as early as possible.

Guides for you

In your language, free to download. Each one is a short PDF you can keep on your phone or print.

X-ray, CT and MRI — What to Expect Englishहिंदीमराठी
Preparing for a Major Operation Englishहिंदीमराठी
Starting to Exercise Safely Englishहिंदीमराठी
After a Major Operation Englishहिंदीमराठी

On cost: if we suggest a scan, an injection or an operation, ask us what it costs and what happens if you do nothing. We will answer both. You should never feel pushed into spending money.

Consultation is ₹500 for a first visit and ₹300 for a follow-up, the same at both clinics. For anything else, ask at the desk or on WhatsApp before it is done — we will tell you the exact cost.

Should you come and see us?

A page is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If the pain is not settling, come in and have it looked at properly — bring any X-ray, MRI or CT films you already have.

Nallasopara West

Opposite Patil Hospital

Shop No. 14, Veena Apartment,
Opposite Patil Hospital, near Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir,
S.T. Stand Road, Nallasopara West — 401203

Monday to Saturday
12:00 noon – 2:00 pm  ·  7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Sunday by prior appointment only

Call 87665 22099

Virar East

Opposite Parimal Hospital

Shop No. 7, Damodar Tower,
Opposite Parimal Hospital, Morya Nagar,
Manvel Pada Road, Virar East — 401305

Monday to Saturday
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Sunday by prior appointment only

Call 92702 84859

Other conditions

Ready when you are.

Call either clinic during consulting hours, or send a WhatsApp message any time.

Nallasopara West Virar East