Two Significant Complications Following Percutaneous Needle Fasciotomy in a Patient on Anticoagulants

Percutaneous needle fasciotomy treatment of Dupuytren’s disease has been used on the continent for over two decades but has only recently gained popularity in the UK. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence published guidance in February 2004 stating that the procedure is safe and effective. We report a case of two complications in the same patient following the use of the technique, on only one occasion, in a patient who was anticoagulated. We believe that it is the first time that a false aneurysm has been reported following the procedure and that this was probably related to the inhibited coagulation cascade. The patient also sustained an injury to flexor digitorum profundus but had an intact superficialis tendon and we find it difficult to explain this occurrence. We report the above complication as we feel this technique may be chosen specifically in patients with co-existing medical problems such as anticoagulation.