A Clinical Analysis of Dupuytren’s Disease of the Thumb

Although Dupuytren’s disease of the thumb was first described in 1833, the literature on this subject is limited to a few anatomical and clinical studies. This study examined the pattern of cords of Dupuytren’s disease in 260 thumbs in 181 consecutive patients with evidence of disease relating to the thumb attending an out-patient clinic over a period of 36 months. Discrepancies in the literature are discussed in the light of the findings of this more detailed analysis and a simple but practical pictorial system for recording disease severity and detailing progression over time is presented.