Mini Anatomy Lesson: Dupuytren’s Contracture
Anatomy Def: Dupuytren’s Contracture, a disease involving changes to deep tissues of the palm.
Outlander Def: Tom Christie’s right hand enjoys Claire’s touch waaay too much. Watch out, Jamie! 😉
History: Dupuytren’s Contracture (DC) is named after Baron Guillaume Dupuytren (1777-1835), a French anatomist and military surgeon who gained considerable notoriety treating Napoleon Bonaparte’s hemorrhoids! 😲 Although he was not the first to recognize the condition, he was the first to perform a successful repair on DC and published the results (The Lancet, 1834). Hence, the disease is named for him.
Also Known As: Like Jamie, Dupuytren’s Contracture (DC) enjoys a number of aliases:
Palmar fibromatosis/familial palmar fibromatosis
Palmar fascial fibromatosis.
Symptoms: Tight bands and/or firm lumps (nodules) appear in the tissues deep to the palmar skin. Gradually, the fingers may curl and pull sideways or toward the palm. Overlying skin may pucker. Sufferers may experience inflammation or sensations of tenderness, burning, or itching of the hand. Pressure or tension may be felt when attempting to straighten the fingers. Sometimes both hands and even the feet are affected. More fortunate individuals experience only mild cases that do not require medical intervention. The following image shows an example of DC involving the left ring finger.
Read more at www.outlanderanatomy.com!
