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Right now our daughter is in the operating room having microsurgery to reattach her index finger. I won't even go into how this happened. It's just awful. What I want to know is how likely is it that this will work? The surgeon couldn't say much without getting in there and looking everything over first.
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When it comes to traumatic injuries, children have amazing recuperative powers. In many situations, they heal faster with fewer problems than adults with the same injuries. But you should be prepared for some potential problems
Avulsion (traumatic amputation) of the digit (finger) in children can be a very complex and challenging injury to repair and reconstruct. The term for reattching a finger is replantation. Using a high-powered microscope is necessary in order to match up and reconnect tiny blood vessels and nerves.
The procedure becomes more difficult when the amputation is complete and the skin and bone must be restored. Replantation may not even be possible if the injury involves crushing of the soft tissues.
Once the surgeon is able to assess the condition of the tissues, it will be easier to plan what can be done. The chances of successful replantation are far less if only one blood vessel is left to supply the finger with an adequate blood supply. Having two working arteries gives a much better chance for healing and recovery.
Other factors that can have a negative effect on the results are the presence of pain, which in turn, increases anxiety. When pain and anxiety occur together, spasming of the blood vessels develops. The net result is reduced blood supply to the replantation (i.e., reattached finger). This development can also affect the replanted finger that is trying to recover.
Not too surprising is the fact that a long delay between the traumatic injury resulting in amputation and the reconstructive surgery needed to reattach the digit lowers the success rate.
The good news is that these days it is possible to perform replantation surgery for amputated digits (fingers). That wasn't possible in years past. With the development of microsurgical techniques (using a very high-powered microscope) and special surgical tools, this type of surgery is both possible and successful now.
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*Disclaimer:*The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. |
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