J Korean Med Assoc.  2011 Jun;54(6):589-593. 10.5124/jkma.2011.54.6.589.

Present and future of hand surgery in Korea

• Jeon M
• Lee D
• Ki S
• Roh S
• Yang JW
• Kim J

• KMID: 2190736
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2011.54.6.589

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to review the past history of hand surgery briefly and to overview of a vision of hand surgery over next generations in republic of Korea. There were three characteristics of the past history of digit replantation in Korea. Due to the tremendous use of press machine, the replantation surgery for finger amputation had been developed rapidly from 1980's to 1990's period. Also new microsurgery techniques had been introduced such as toe pulp free flap for digit reconstruction. These techniques had been developed based on the medical health insurance system for the factory employees. Future of hand surgery in Korea can be anticipated as followings: operative microscopy and robotics may help surgeons to anastomosis very tiny micro-vessels; the functional recovery of fingers and hands will be more important; incidence of degenerative disease, musculoskeletal system disorder due to excessive use and injury during sports will increase; new materials such as artificial joint will be used more frequently according to the innovation of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine; specialist system for hand surgeon will be settled. Since there are a lot of hand surgeon who has a mission to alleviate patient's pain and injury, there will be a continuous growth of hand surgery in Korea.

Keyword

Hand surgery; Replantation; Microsurgery; History

MeSH Terms

Amputation
Family Characteristics
Fingers
Free Tissue Flaps
Hand
Humans
Incidence
Insurance, Health
Joints
Korea
Microscopy
Microsurgery
Missions and Missionaries
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Replantation
Republic of Korea
Robotics
Specialization
Sports
Tissue Engineering
Toes
Vision, Ocular

Figure

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  Figure 1 Preoperative figure of 5-year-old child presented with right index and middle fingertip amputation.

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  Figure 2 Intraoperative figure of 0.3 mm caliber artery repaired with 10-0 nylon suture.

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  Figure 3 Postoperative photo taken 1 year after replantation.

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