Separation of the first finger or thumb from the rest of the hand.
The cause is usually traumatic although it may be secondary to elective surgery.
When amputation is performed in the context of surgery, blood vessels are ligated to prevent bleeding before cutting bone and muscle. The most frequent causes are diseases that cause poor blood circulation, tumors, deformities, infections and/or gangrene.
When amputation occurs in the context of trauma, bleeding and tissue loss are usually greater. If the finger is torn off or avulsed, bleeding can be massive and surgical repair very difficult. The most frequent causes are traffic accidents, industrial accidents and war injuries.
The treatment of choice is surgical and its priority is to save the finger if possible and to avoid bleeding and infection. Severe cases can lead to the death of the patient if not controlled.
In cases of traumatic amputation, direct compression may be used to reduce bleeding until surgical revision is performed. If the amputated finger and stump receive appropriate care, reattachment of the amputated finger and stump can be considered in a specialized center.
- Antevy, PM, Saladino, RA. Management of finger injuries. In: Textbook of Pediatric Emergency Procedures, 2nd edition, King, C, Henretig, FM (Eds), Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia 2008. p.939.
- Lee DH, Mignemi ME, Crosby SN. Fingertip injuries: an update on management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2013; 21:756.
- Fetter-Zarzeka A, Joseph MM. Hand and fingertip injuries in children. Pediatr Emerg Care 2002; 18:341.?
