Skip to main content

Private Dupuytren fasciectomy in London, the definitive open operation for cord and PIP contracture.

The lowest-recurrence Dupuytren treatment - a proper open operation by a consultant hand surgeon, with hand therapy started early and splinting for weeks afterwards.

A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What a private Dupuytren fasciectomy costs in London.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

£5,000–£9,000, with hand therapy starting within a few days.

Fasciectomy type Indicative range
Limited fasciectomy (single ray) £5,000–£9,000
Limited fasciectomy (multiple rays) £6,500–£12,000
Dermofasciectomy + full-thickness skin graft £7,500–£14,000
Recurrent-Dupuytren fasciectomy £8,000–£15,000
Combined bilateral fasciectomy £11,000–£22,000
Consultation only £200–£400

Prices vary by clinic, by the consultant hand surgeon, by the anaesthetic used, and by whether a skin graft is needed. Recurrent and bilateral surgery cost more because the operating time is longer.

The problem

When needle and collagenase run out, fasciectomy is the operation that lasts.

Needle fasciotomy and collagenase are quick, but the cord tends to come back - particularly for PIP-joint contracture and aggressive disease. Open fasciectomy physically removes the cord and gives the most durable correction.

  • Frightened of an open operation?

    It is a day case in most patients - general anaesthetic or regional block, home the same day, hand therapy within days.

  • Worried about recurrence?

    Recurrence is real but much lower than after needle or collagenase - dermofasciectomy is the lowest-recurrence option of all.

  • Sceptical of a quick fix?

    You are right to be. Fasciectomy is not a quick fix - it is a proper operation followed by weeks of hand therapy and splinting. That is what makes it stick.

When it helps

When a Dupuytren fasciectomy is the right next step.

Not every cord needs open surgery. These are the situations where fasciectomy, alongside hand therapy, tends to earn its keep.

  • PIP contracture > 30°

    Fixed bend at the middle finger joint - the classic threshold where open surgery outperforms needle or collagenase.

  • Advanced MCP + PIP contracture

    Combined knuckle and middle-joint contracture where full correction needs the cord physically removed.

  • Recurrence after PNF / collagenase

    Cord has re-formed after a less invasive treatment and the finger is bending again.

  • Skin involvement (dermofasciectomy candidate)

    Diseased skin adherent to the cord - the skin comes out with the disease and is replaced with a full-thickness graft.

  • Multiple rays affected

    Two or more fingers involved, where a single operation can address the whole hand.

  • Aggressive Dupuytren’s diathesis

    Early-onset, bilateral, family history, Ledderhose or Peyronie’s - the phenotype that recurs, where a definitive operation buys more time.

  • Post-PNF short-lived correction

    Needle fasciotomy released the cord but it came back quickly - fasciectomy is the next logical step.

  • Red flag: post-op ischaemic finger

    A cold, dusky, pulseless finger after surgery is an emergency - same-day return to theatre.

Fasciectomy types

Not all fasciectomies are the same.

What each option on your consent form is actually for.

  • Limited fasciectomy single ray

    The diseased cord in one finger is dissected out, with digital nerves and arteries carefully preserved.

  • Limited fasciectomy multiple rays

    Two or more rays addressed in a single anaesthetic - longer operation, one recovery.

  • Dermofasciectomy + graft

    The involved skin is excised with the cord and replaced with a full-thickness skin graft - the lowest-recurrence option.

  • Recurrent fasciectomy

    Redo surgery after previous fasciectomy, PNF or collagenase - technically demanding, longer operating time.

  • Bilateral fasciectomy

    Both hands operated on together in selected cases, with a coordinated therapy plan.

  • Segmental aponeurotomy (specialist)

    Selective removal of short cord segments - reserved for specific patterns and specialist judgment.

  • Post-op review only

    Consultant review of a fasciectomy performed elsewhere, with a therapy plan alongside.

  • Consultation

    Clinic assessment with a consultant hand surgeon to confirm whether fasciectomy is the right operation.

Safety and eligibility

A proper operation, with honest odds.

Fasciectomy is a well-established operation with a good safety profile in experienced hands. The things worth planning are the anaesthetic, the hand-therapy pathway, and the honest conversation about recurrence.

  • Anaesthetic

    General anaesthetic or regional block (brachial plexus or axillary), chosen with the anaesthetist on the day.

  • Usually day-case

    Most people go home the same day. Dermofasciectomy with a skin graft may need one to two nights for graft observation.

  • Nerve or artery injury

    Digital nerve and artery injury is real but small in experienced hands - loupe magnification and careful dissection reduce the risk.

  • Complex regional pain syndrome

    CRPS is an uncommon but recognised complication - early hand therapy and mobilisation are the best preventive step.

  • Skin necrosis at the incision

    Wound-edge necrosis can occur, particularly in dermofasciectomy - usually managed with dressings, occasionally revision.

  • Hand therapy is essential

    Splinting, scar massage and active range-of-motion drills within days of surgery - the outcome depends on it as much as on the operation.

  • Splinting for weeks

    A night splint is usually worn for at least three months to hold the correction while scar tissue matures.

  • Driving

    Typically 2–4 weeks after surgery, once you can grip the wheel safely and perform an emergency stop.

  • Recurrence

    Recurrence is lower than after needle fasciotomy or collagenase - but Dupuytren’s is a biological process and can return over years.

Reading your report

An operative note is short. Read the last part first.

Whichever fasciectomy was performed, the report keeps to the same four parts.

A UK consultant hand surgeon reviewing operative notes and hand-therapy plan

A quiet reminder

The operation is only half of it - the hand therapy is what makes the fingers straighten and stay straight.

If you would like us to talk you through it before your hand therapy starts, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Contracture severity and diathesis features

    The MCP and PIP contracture angles, the rays involved, and any features of aggressive Dupuytren’s diathesis (early onset, bilateral, family history, Ledderhose).

  2. 02 Technique

    Rays and fasciectomy type

    Which rays were operated on, the type of fasciectomy (limited, dermofasciectomy, segmental), skin graft if used, and tourniquet time.

  3. 03 Findings

    Correction achieved intra-op

    The correction achieved on the table - full or partial extension, any residual PIP contracture, and any intra-operative complications.

  4. 04 Impression

    Rehab plan, splinting, recurrence risk

    Read this first. The hand-therapy plan, splinting regime, expected recovery milestones, and the honest conversation about recurrence risk.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about Dupuytren fasciectomy.

Quick answers on recovery, driving, scarring, recurrence and cost.

  • What does a Dupuytren fasciectomy involve?

    A fasciectomy is an open operation in which the diseased Dupuytren’s cord is physically dissected out of the palm and fingers, with the digital nerves and arteries carefully preserved. It is done under general anaesthetic or a regional block, usually as a day case, and is followed by weeks of hand therapy and splinting.

  • Fasciectomy vs needle fasciotomy - what is the difference?

    Needle fasciotomy (PNF) uses a needle to cut the cord through the skin - quick, minimally invasive, but with a higher recurrence rate. Fasciectomy removes the cord through an open incision - a bigger operation, longer recovery, but a much lower recurrence rate and better for advanced or PIP-joint contractures.

  • Fasciectomy vs collagenase - which is better?

    Collagenase injection dissolves the cord chemically and is useful for straightforward MCP-joint cords in early disease. For PIP contracture greater than 30°, multiple rays, recurrence, or skin involvement, open fasciectomy gives the most durable correction.

  • How long is the recovery after Dupuytren fasciectomy?

    The bandage comes off within a week, hand therapy starts almost immediately, and most people are back to desk work in 2–3 weeks. Full grip strength and comfortable heavy manual work take 6–12 weeks. Night splinting continues for around three months.

  • When can I drive after a fasciectomy?

    Typically 2–4 weeks after surgery, once the wound is settled and you can grip the wheel and perform an emergency stop comfortably. Your surgeon and insurer will confirm - driving before you are fit to control the car invalidates cover.

  • Will I have a scar? What about the skin graft?

    Yes - the incisions are zig-zag or Bruner-type across the palm and fingers to avoid straight-line scars that could contract. If a dermofasciectomy is performed, a full-thickness skin graft (usually from the inner arm or groin crease) is used to replace the diseased skin, and the graft site heals as a thin linear scar.

  • What is the recurrence rate after fasciectomy?

    Recurrence depends on the type of operation, the disease pattern and the patient’s diathesis. Limited fasciectomy has a recurrence rate typically quoted in the 20–40% range over several years; dermofasciectomy is the lowest-recurrence option, often below 10% in the operated finger.

  • How important is hand therapy afterwards?

    Essential. Splinting, scar massage and active range-of-motion drills within days of surgery are what convert a good operation into a straight, functional finger. Skipping the therapy is the single fastest route to a poor outcome.

  • How much does a private Dupuytren fasciectomy cost in London?

    A limited fasciectomy for a single ray is typically £5,000–£9,000. Multiple rays £6,500–£12,000, dermofasciectomy with skin graft £7,500–£14,000, recurrent surgery £8,000–£15,000, bilateral £11,000–£22,000.

  • When should I see a hand surgeon urgently?

    A cold, dusky or pulseless finger after surgery, a rapidly enlarging wound infection, or sudden loss of sensation in a finger are all reasons to contact the surgical team the same day. In pre-operative disease, urgency is rare - but rapidly progressing contracture is worth an early opinion.

Related

Looking for something else?