Abstract
Purpose of Study
To determine the clinical presentation and management of patients with traumatic finger amputations.
Methods
Patients who presented to the emergency unit of a major tertiary academic hospital were reviewed prospectively. A data collection form indicating the mechanism of injury and the treatment given among other parameters was completed for each patient. Data was entered into Microsoft Excel spread sheets and was then imported into Statistica software version 11.0. Parametric, continuous variables were described using means and standard deviations. Medians and interquartile ranges were used for non-parametric data. Categorical variables were described using frequencies and percentages
Results
A total of 123 patients were reviewed. The majority of the patients were males (82%). Ninety-one percent of the patients presented to a nearby facility within six hours of the injury. Traumatic finger amputations occurred in the dominant hand in 76% of the patients. Industrial accidents and social violence were the predominant cause of finger amputations. A majority of the multi-digit amputations resulted from industrial accidents. Majority of the patients (90%) underwent single stage reconstructive procedure. The average period of time off work was 17.2 days.
Conclusion
Single stage reconstructive procedures and prompt hand therapy in patients with single digit amputation expedite rehabilitation and early return to work.
NO DISCLOSURES
