What is the medical term for an involuntary flexion contracture of the fingers?

• A. Dupuytren's contracture
• B. Carpal tunnel syndrome
• C. Trigger finger
• D. Tennis elbow

Answer: (A)

Dupuytren's contracture is a fixed, progressive flexion deformity of the fingers caused by fibromatosis of the palmar fascia. Fibrous cords form in the palm and pull the ring and little fingers (often) into flexion at the metacarpophalangeal and sometimes the interphalangeal joints, making full extension impossible. It’s typically painless but can limit hand function as the condition advances. It’s most common in men, usually later in life, and has associations with Northern European ancestry, diabetes, smoking, and family history. The other conditions don’t produce a fixed finger contracture: carpal tunnel affects nerves in the wrist causing numbness and weakness; trigger finger causes a finger to catch or lock during movement due to tendon sheath thickening but isn’t a fixed deformity; tennis elbow involves elbow pain from tendinopathy, not a finger contracture.