Regaining Hand Function After Dupuytren’s Contracture Treatment in Vietnam

For Suzanne Turmel, a 68-year-old woman from Canada, it was becoming impossible to ignore the changes manifested in her hands. This lady suffered from Dupuytren's disease in both hands, meaning she could not do anything to reverse the tightening of the connective tissue under the skin of the palms, resulting in the bending of the fingers toward the palms over time. This process eventually led to the inevitable difficulty of extending her fingers due to contracture in her right hand.

Seeking specialised care, Suzanne turned to MediGence to explore treatment options outside Canada. Her medical journey ultimately took her to Vietnam, where she received treatment at Vinmec for her right-hand Dupuytren's contracture.

Living with Progressive Dupuytren's Disease

Suzanne had already been living with Dupuytren's disease in both hands, making her condition a longstanding concern rather than a sudden problem. While the disease can progress at different rates in different individuals, Suzanne experienced a progressive flexion contracture affecting the fingers of her right hand.

The condition worsened her ability to fully extend her fingers. The inability to straighten her fingers limits her ability to do many daily tasks that require the hands to be opened, lifted, or placed flat on a table or surface to perform very delicate actions. Besides Dupuytren's disease, Suzanne had a bleeding hemangioma that occasionally caused bleeding on her arm. This condition created another complication for her evaluation and needed further assessment in regard to her overall medical condition and treatment.

Rather than allowing the condition to continue to progress without specialist input, Suzanne sought an expert opinion to understand the available treatment options and to identify an appropriate approach to improving the function of her right hand.

Seeking Treatment in Vietnam

On February 11, 2026, Suzanne contacted MediGence, requesting help regarding her medical condition, which was diagnosed and prepared for treatment in Vietnam at Vinmec.

In her medical history, there were two major issues recorded: first of all, the presence of bilateral Dupuytren's disease, and secondly, the progressive flexion contracture of her right hand fingers that the patient suffers from. The main goal of the therapy is to improve finger extension and maximise restoration of the patient's hand function.

Suzanne was scheduled for diagnosis and treatment by Dr. Thach Trng Phng Nhi at the Dermatology Department of Vinmec, the assignment date being the 20th of March 2026. MediGence had assisted in executing these steps for Suzanne and enabled her to travel to Vietnam with a clear medical purpose.

Choosing a Targeted Treatment Approach

After receiving the assessment, Suzanne underwent a collagenase injection treatment for Dupuytren's contracture in her right hand. Her goal was to enhance her finger mobility and hand functionality without undergoing more invasive surgical options.

Collagenase was chosen based on the specifics of her contracture and the specialist's assessment, which confirmed that Dupuytren's disease treatment options must be tailored to each patient.

Suzanne's treatment was centred on improving the movement of the affected fingers rather than simply addressing the appearance of the hand. For someone living with Dupuytren's disease, improving finger extension can significantly enhance daily independence, making routine activities like gripping objects or placing the hand flat on a surface easier and more manageable.

Improvement After Treatment

The improved ability of the fingers to extend indicated that the focused therapy had considerably alleviated the impact of the condition caused by Dupuytren's cord. As for Suzanne, this also meant she would be able to use her hand more vigorously and engage in daily tasks with much more ease. As Dupuytren's disease is progressive and can affect both hands, it remains necessary to continue monitoring the state of the disease. Performing treatment on the affected hand does not guarantee that the disease will not multiply subsequently.

The improvement in the fingers' ability to straighten suggested that the specialised treatment had greatly reduced the effects of the condition associated with Dupuytren's cord. In Suzanne's case, this development also indicates that she would be able to use her hand more actively in her everyday activities.

As Dupuytren's disease is progressive and can affect both hands, it remains necessary to continue monitoring the state of the disease. Performing treatment on the affected hand does not guarantee that the disease will not multiply subsequently.

Moving Forward with Better Hand Function

For Suzanne, travelling from Canada to Vietnam was ultimately about regaining something fundamental: the ability to use her hand more freely. Her positive response to treatment provided an important step toward improved mobility, greater hand function, and greater confidence in performing daily activities.

Suzanne's journey illustrates how international healthcare options can empower patients and provide access to specialised treatments that improve quality of life. Her journey from Canada to Vietnam demonstrates how international medical care can provide patients with access to specialised treatment options for conditions that may progressively affect their quality of life.

At 68, she sought care not simply because she had Dupuytren's disease, but because the condition had progressed to the point where her right-hand finger movement was being affected. The treatment plan was therefore focused on her functional needs.