Lewes hand surgeon brings specialized care to Cape Region
Dr. Scott Schulze works at the forefront of advancements in the treatment of hand injuries and deformities.
“Medicine is not a static discipline and neither should the individuals that practice it," Schulze said. "There will always be a better way to treat our patients and it is up to us, as clinicians, to find that way.”
Schulze recently returned from speaking to a group of 250 physicians about the advancements in surgical and nonsurgical treatments for Dupuytren's contracture, a condition, which affects millions of Americans.
"It’s not only about treatments but also about diagnosis and management for primary care physicians as well," he said. "I was one of the first surgeons in Delaware to perform these injections."
People with Dupuytren's (doo-pa-trens) have scar tissue in the palm of the hand that restricts finger movements. It can lead to locked fingers and, in some cases, causes crippling hand deformities.
"Peter Pan" author John Barrie is thought to have had Dupuytren's, and the hand deformity may have led to the image of Captain Hook. Patients with untreated Dupuytren's contracture can end up with a hand locked in a hook position.
The condition is most common in men of Northern European descent but is seen in both men and women of all descents. It was originally documented in Europe during the age of Vikings.
Xiaflex is the first FDA-approved nonsurgical injection for the treatment of Dupuytren's disease. The injections break up scar tissue and allow for better mobility with no incision, less pain and a faster recovery.
In the Cape Region, Schulze said, he is the only hand specialist who uses these injections to treat Dupuytren's patients.
In 2010, Schulze performed the first injections in Delaware. Now he draws patients from Delaware, New Jersey and across the East Coast to his Lewes practice, which opened in July.
Schulze celebrated his new practice by hosting an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony in October.
"It’s a community I really love," Schulze said of the Cape Region. "It's very fulfilling to serve patients here, so I never thought about moving to another area."
Schulze is a board-certified surgeon originally recruited to the area in 2008 by Beebe Medical Center. After working for Beebe Physician's Network for several years, he opened his own practice, Delmarva Hand Specialists this year.
He specializes in surgery of the hand and forearm, microsurgery, general surgery and dermatologic surgical procedures.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Schulze did his surgical training at Seton Hall University School of Medicine, where he served as chief surgical resident. After graduation, he served as the Burn Fellow at Southern Illinois University’s Memorial Medical Center. Following completion of his burn fellowship, he completed a hand and microsurgery fellowship also at Southern Illinois.
Schulze recently authored a book chapter on replantation and revascularization in the forearm and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles.
Most common injuries
"I do a lot of minimally invasive surgeries, including nerve decompressions, such as carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel releases," Schulze said. "There are also many cases when I do wrist arthroscopies for patients."
Schulze often sees sports injuries, and children who have closed their fingers in doors. Other common injuries include work-related injuries, finger jams, ligament tears, fractures and injuries sustained in falls.
"With our community being a vacation destination, we see a higher number of accidents in the summer," Schulze said. "Unlike other areas, we have people who come in and need to be managed on a short-term basis because they are headed to another town or state. I then work with their physicians in their hometown to make sure they receive the physical therapy they need."
Schulze works with patients who need trigger-finger release surgeries and others managing arthritis with finger-joint replacements and reconstructive surgeries.
He also covers the Beebe emergency room for traumatic injuries and in events when fingers or hands are cut off or mangled.
"I also do a good amount of outpatient burn care because there isn't a burn unit here," Sculze said. "If the patient needs to be transferred, I often send them to Baltimore or Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Philadelphia."
Patients need to coordinate with their insurance companies for a referral. For more information, contact Delmarva Hand Specialists LLC at 302-644-0940. The office is at 34434 Kings Street Row, Suite 2, off Kings Highway, in Lewes.
