Current role of the collagenase Clostridium histolyticum in Dupuytren's disease treatment.

backgroundCollagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) is a recent treatment for Dupuytren disease, which is a fibroproliferative disorder that leads to progressive, persistent digital flexion contracture that interferes with basic daily activities. While CCH has changed the treatment of this hand disorder, numerous concerns have to be analyzed.

aimsOur purpose is to assess the current status of this medical treatment.

methodsLiterary review based on a manual search on PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Academic.

resultsPharmacoeconomic analyses support the use of CCH, but long-term studies showing that it should be favored over conventional surgery or other treatments are lacking. Treatment decisions, therefore, must be guided by current data, which include a 5-year recurrence rate of 47%. Complications following CCH treatment are also a controversial topic, as rates of over 90% have been reported, although most of the complications are mild and self-limiting. A definition and classification of CCH-related complications is sorely needed. If we exclude adverse effects that could be considered inherent to the mechanisms of action of CCH, then the complication rate would be similar to rates reported for other techniques. Although CCH is becoming an increasingly popular treatment for Dupuytren disease, the potential applications of this modality, are much higher than currently believed, for more disorders characterized by excessive fibrosis.

conclusionCurrently, the administration of this treatment is promising although long-term studies are necessary to see the real role that this drug can play in both Dupuytren's disease and other fibrotic disorders.