Outcomes Following Repeat Collagenase Treatment of Dupuytren Contracture

Purpose

Injectable collagenase Clostridium histolyticum has been an effective and well-tolerated nonsurgical treatment option for the management of Dupuytren contracture of the hand. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of collagenase injection and adverse event rate in patients who had undergone previous collagenase treatment.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed on 332 patients treated with collagenase injection for Dupuytren contracture by three fellowship-trained hand surgeons at a single institution from 2009 to 2019. Fifty-nine joints in 45 patients underwent repeat collagenase therapy for recurrent contracture in the same digit. Pretreatment and posttreatment total metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joint flexion contractures were recorded, with complete correction defined as <5° residual digital flexion contracture. Postmanipulation skin tears and adverse events were recorded. A comparison was made between average contracture improvement after initial collagenase injection and that after repeat injection.

Results

Forty-five patients with an average duration of 30 months (range, 6–73 months) between initial and repeat collagenase therapies were identified. The mean improvement after first collagenase injection was 45° ± 24° (39° for metacarpophalangeal joint and 50° for proximal interphalangeal joint) compared with a mean improvement of 43° ± 23° (41° for metacarpophalangeal joint and 44° for proximal interphalangeal joint) after second injection. Although similar complete correction rates and skin tear rates (32.2 % for initial and 30.5% for repeat) were observed between initial (80%) and repeat injections (73%), the occurrence of adverse events was 3 times higher (3.4% for initial and 10.2% for repeat) in the latter group.

Conclusions

Collagenase treatment of Dupuytren contracture yields effective total flexion contracture correction. Repeat collagenase treatment of previously treated digits yields similar deformity correction and complete correction rates but a higher incidence of adverse events.

Type of study/level of evidence

Therapeutic IV.