Dupuytren's contracture is a medical condition in which fibrous tissue in the palm thickens, pulling fingers—usually the ring and little fingers—into a bent position. It develops gradually and may limit hand function, particularly grip. The term combines the surname Dupuytren with the clinical term contracture to describe this progressive fibrous hand contracture.
"He consulted a hand surgeon after his Dupuytren's contracture progressed and limited his ability to grip a mug."
"In early stages, physical therapy may help slow Dupuytren's contracture, but surgery is considered for more severe cases."
"The physician discussed options for Dupuytren's contracture, including fasciectomy, collagenase injections, and observation."
"Persistent nodules around the palm signaled the onset of Dupuytren's contracture, prompting referral to a specialist."
The term Dupuytren's contracture originates from the Dutch-French surgeon Baron Guillaume Dupuytren (1777–1835). The surname Dupuytren itself is French, while the condition is named after his description of palmar fibromatosis. The second component, contracture, derives from Latin contractura, from contrahere “to draw together,” via Old French contracture, indicating a shortening or tightening of tissue. Historically, early reports of palmar fibromatosis appeared in 16th–19th centuries medical literature, but Dupuytren’s precise description and surgical approaches popularized the eponym in the 19th century. Over time, the term expanded in medical usage to refer to the progressive, fibrous thickening of the palmar fascia with finger flexion deformities, distinct from other connective tissue disorders. The understanding of its etiology has evolved from purely hereditary and mechanical concepts to include fibroproliferative pathways and nodular palmar fascial changes, with modern treatments ranging from enzyme injections to fasciectomy. The first known cases attributed to Dupuytren’s description appeared in the early 1800s in surgical records, and the term was widely adopted in the 19th century as the standard eponym for the condition.
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Words that rhyme with "Dupuytren's Contracture"
-ure sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say du-PWEE-tren's con-TRACT-yer. IPA: US /duˌpyuˈtrenz ˈkɒn.træk.tʃər/ ; UK /ˌdjuːˈpjʊː.tɒnz ˈkɒn.træk.tʃə/ ; AU /ˌdjuːˈpjʊː.trənz ˈkɒn.træk.tʃə/. Focus on the surname as two-syllable “Du-pye-tren” (or “Du-puy-trenz”) followed by “contracture.” The stress pattern centers on the second word: con-TRACT-ure. Mouth positions: start with a light “du” then a rounded “pyu/pju” glide, then a stressed “tren(s)” with a clear “z” in plural possessive, and finally a rounded “con-tract-ure” with a soft “tʃ” for -ture. Audio reference: consult standard medical pronunciation databases or YouGlish examples for “Dupuytren’s contracture.”
Common errors: (1) Mispronouncing the surname as “Du-poo-TRANE” instead of the correct /duːˈpjɛn/ like “du-PYE-tren.” (2) Slurring the second word into a single syllable or misplacing stress on contracture (often stressing con- instead of -tract-). (3) Dropping the final -ure or muting the /tʃər/ ending. Correction: emphasize the surname with two syllables and a soft -tren, then place primary stress on contracture: con-TRACT-ure, ensuring the /tʃ/ sound in -ture and the final /ər/ or /ə/ in relaxed speech.
US: /ˌduː.pjuˈtrenz ˈkɒn.træk.tʃər/ with rhotic /r/ and clear /pj/ sequence. UK: /ˌdjuːˈpjʊː.trənz ˈkɒn.træk.tʃə/, non-rhotic? generally non-rhotic /ˈtrəns/ in some variants, and the final -ture often reduced to /tʃə/. AU: /ˌdjuːˈpjʊː.trənz ˈkɒn.tɹæk.tʃə/ shows rhotics vary with Australian tendency toward a non-rhotic or lightly rhotic realization; vowel qualities are closer to UK, with broad vowels and slightly flatter /ə/ in unstressed syllables. Compared differences: US maintains a more strongly pronounced -trenz ending and rhotic r; UK/AU reduce final schwa and show more vowel shortening in unstressed syllables. IPA references help: US /ˌduːˌpjʊˈtrenz ˈkɒnˌtræk.tʃə/, UK /ˌdjuːˈpjʊː.trənz ˈkɒn.træk.tʃə/, AU /ˌdjuːˈpjʊː.tənz ˈkɒnˌtræk.tʃə/ (approximate).
Two main challenges: the surname Dupuytren combines French-origin phonemes not common in English: /py/ sequences, silent or reduced vowels, and the final -tren/ture cluster with /tʃər/ that can blur. The word contracture adds a stress on the second syllable and a ‘tʃ’ sound that’s easy to mispronounce if you stop too soon after -tran. Also, the yo-yo of vowel length in unstressed syllables and the subtle r-coloring in US speech add to mispronunciations. Practice the precise sequence du-pyu-tren’s and con-tract-ure with clear /tʃ/ and final schwa.
Not silent letters, but two challenging clusters: the surname’s 'pyu' sequence (/pjʊ/ or /pju/) and the final -ture cluster (/tʃɚ/ or /tʃə/). The possessive apostrophe-s after Dupuytren’s changes the pronunciation minimally; many speakers gloss over it, but clinically you pronounce the possessive as /ˈduːpjənz/ or /ˈduːpjreɪnz/ depending on dialect, keeping the plural /z/ sound. Focus on maintaining the /pj/ glide in the surname and the precise /tʃ/ in -ture, avoiding merging the syllables too quickly.
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