COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DUPUYTREN TISSUE AND HEALTHY PALMAR APONEUROSIS CONDUCTED WITH SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS

Dupuytren's contraction, together with plantar fibromatosis and Peyronie disease, constitutes a small group of superficial, collagenous fibromatoses whose aetiology and pathogenesis are unknown. The condition involves irregular or nodular subcutaneous thickening of the palmar fascia either unilaterally or bilaterally. Over time, attachment to the overlying skin causes puckering and dimpling, resulting in a slowly progressive flexion contracture, mainly of the fourth and fifth fingers of the hand. The aim of the present study was to differentiate the Dupuytren tissue from healthy palmar aponeurosis on the basis of their morphology and trace element composition. To this end, tissue from 5 Dupuytren patients and 3 healthy controls was subjected to microscopic and microanalytical examination. Results showed that the affected tissue has a higher calcium content than healthy palmar aponeurosis. There were also differences between cords and nodules, which, as known, represent different stages in the evolution of the pathology. In fact, we found a high sulphur content in cords, and a high silicium content in nodules. The authors are reporting these results because of the help they may provide in understanding the pathogenesis of the disease. Moreover, in the future and with the support of further investigations, this technique could be used to assess the degree of therapy.