Dr. Osei said he believes being on call brings a level of legitimacy to the specialty.

“Our patients can have any number of different types of conditions, problems and injuries. I think to be a complete orthopedic surgeon you should be able to provide care for the whole gamut of issues that affect the musculoskeletal system,” Dr. Osei explained. “If we as a specialty were uncomfortable or unable to take care of these traumatic injuries, then I think that we run the risk of failing to uphold the standards and vocational responsibilities of our profession.”

Read the full article at healio.com. 

Lepp showed Dr. Osei an archived x-ray of Houdini’s left hand which revealed a bullet that was never removed. He asked Dr. Osei if it was possible for Houdini to make his hand small enough to get out of locked handcuffs. Dr. Osei confirmed this is not possible, citing “it was not consistent with anything he had ever seen.”

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While some people with Dupuytren’s may only have the bumps underneath the skin, most experience worsening symptoms that can result in impaired function and mobility of the fingers without treatment. “Eventually, patients have a difficult time straightening their fingers,” said Dr. Osei.

For those who may experience a tough time putting their fingers into gloves, this might be a sign of Dupuytren’s. “Because of a finger bend, you might find it difficult to straighten your finger to get a glove on,” noted Dr. Osei. Similarly, when you go to put your hands in your pockets, four fingers might go in just fine, but one may get caught on the pocket.

Dr. Osei explained the condition doesn’t usually affect the ability to grip objects or make a fist, fortunately, however you may notice that you have a decreased range of motion in your fingers and hand. If you play golf or tennis, you may find that you can’t hold the tennis racket or golf club the way you used to.

Getting the correct diagnosis as early as possible can lead to treatment working more effectively. “When people haven’t heard of Dupuytren’s, they can’t recognize when it happens,” cited Dr. Osei. “That leads to delays of people coming into the office. We find that the earlier you recognize it and treat it appropriately, the better outcomes patients have,” he added.

Read the full article at Everydayhealth.com.

Patients who only have some bumps in the hand that aren't causing discomfort or interfering with daily activity, may not require treatment according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). However, patients who are unable to lay their hand flat on a table, will likely need to be treated, noted Dr. Osei.

Enzyme injections are a nonsurgical treatment option that can lead to faster recovery and possibly better control of the disease. An enzyme called collagenase clostridium histolyticum is injected into the cord in the palm to soften and weaken it. “The enzyme works by breaking down the cord,” explained Dr. Osei. The patient then comes back to their physician’s office a day or two later, at which point the physician will move the hand to break the cord, enabling the patient to straighten their fingers. While there is a lower risk of complications compared to surgery, depending on the location of the contracture, there may be a greater risk of injuring a nerve or blood vessel in your fingers, noted Dr. Osei.

Needle aponeurotomy is another nonsurgical outpatient treatment, which the patient receives an injection of anesthetic in the area with the Dupuytren’s cord. A physician then takes a small needle and perforates the cord so it can snap, allowing the fingers to straighten. “This is much like breaking up a rope with a jagged rock,” explained Dr. Osei.

A physician will gauge whether a patient should be treated with surgery based on how serious the Dupuytren’s contracture is. “To me, the severity of the contracture is the biggest criteria,” said Dr. Osei. Everyone heals differently, and some may experience more swelling or discomfort than others, but by 8 weeks post-surgery, the majority of patients are able to do most activities, he added.

Read the full article at Everydayhealth.com.

Daniel A. Osei, MD, MSc, hand and upper extremity surgeon at HSS, who did not treat Martinez, explains that typically nerves regenerate approximately 1 mm per day. According to Dr. Osei, most younger patients will have improvement in the ability to feel the top of the hand over time. 

"He could have numbness or tingling or even burning pain from the recovering nerve, but his hand and wrist range of motion will be unaffected," said Dr. Osei.

Read the full article at TheFourthPeriod.com.

SF Examiner spoke to Daniel A. Osei, MD, MSc, hand and upper extremity surgeon at HSS, who has not treated Curry, about the recovery and repair for this type of injury. While Curry’s injured hand is not his dominant shooting hand, defense mechanisms are a concern. “It’s all the other stuff - the defending, the swatting of balls, the landing on your hand again, and frankly, trying to make sure that you don’t re-injure the area,” explained Dr. Osei. “At three months, I will say that most of these fractures go from, ‘It’s healed, but you could reinjure yourself,’ to healed enough that you basically can’t.”

Regarding methods for surgical repair (plates versus screws), Dr. Osei noted this is dependent on the pattern of the fracture. “Plates are used because they’re a little bit stronger, so it allows for more initial strength, so basically, you can get somebody back a little bit faster.” Dr. Osei added, “Screws are great because they’re more low-profile, and may not bother someone as much, because you can’t feel screws as much as you can feel a plate, but the downside is that they’re not as strong, so the chance of re-injury is a little bit higher. Really, it’s a combination of the location, the pattern of the injury and issues related to how quickly you’re trying to get a guy back,” he said.

Read the article at SFexaminer.com.

Additional coverage: SFexaminer.com, Forbes.com.