Recurrent Dupuytren's disease after fasciectomy and collagenase injection are histologically indistinguishable.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether recurrent Dupuytren's disease after collagenase <i>Clostridium histolyticum</i> treatment differs histologically from recurrence in those treated with fasciectomy. We carried out a prospective cohort study of patients with Dupuytren's disease who underwent fasciectomy to treat disease recurrence after previous treatment with collagenase <i>Clostridium histolyticum</i> or fasciectomy. The pathologists and statistician were blinded to the previous treatment. Longitudinal biopsy sections were stained with haematoxylin-eosin and the nodular zones were examined. Fifteen patients were studied: nine previously treated with collagenase <i>Clostridium histolyticum</i> and six previously treated with fasciectomy. There were no histological differences between the samples from the two groups of patients. Dupuytren's disease recurrences after fasciectomy and collagenase <i>Clostridium histolyticum</i> are histologically indistinguishable.