There seems to have appeared an alternative to surgery for patients suffering from Dupuytren’s contracture. Pharmaceutical company, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc. produces Xiaflex, which will be known in Europe as Xiapex. The medicine has been proven effective in a broad range of patients (1). Treatment with Xiaflex significantly reduced the angle of contracture in both metacarpophalangeal (MP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, with clinically meaningful responses in both less severe and more severe contractures (2). Almost a year ago the medicine was approved by Food & Drug Administration as the only pharmacological method of treating Dupuytren’s contracture. Read full text »