A Clinical Study of Replantation of Amputated Digits

Kim, Ik Dong; Lee, Soo Young; Kim, Poong Taek; Park, Byung Chul; Park, Jung Tae

Abstract

Since the first successful replantation of incompletely amputated digit was performed by Kleinert in 1962, Komatsu and Tamai reported the successful replantation of a completely amputated thumb in 1965. Nowadays, further improvements in instrumentation and surgical skill are accomplished and replantation of digit has been popularized widely. But sometimes the functional results of replanted digits are not excellent expected and there is a place for discussing gain between the result and efforts to replantation. We have been analyzed 28 cases of finger replantation in 17 patients from June, 1982 through June, 1984 at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital. The results were as follows: 1, Male were 12 and female were 5, and average age was 20.5 years old. 2. The most common injury was done by cutting machine. 3. The number of amputated fingers were as follows: thumb, 6 cases; index finger, 11 cases; middle finger 7 cases; ring finger, 3 cases; The level of amputation was as follows: Zone II, 6 cases; Zone III, 15 cases; Zone IV, 7 cases; 4. The maximum ischemic times for successful results of finger replantation were 19 hours. 5. The total ratio of successful replantation of digits in our cases was 82.1%. 6. The functional results of replantation including joint motion, sensory recovery, two point discrimination, pinch power, sweating were relatively satisfactory. (Normal 8, Fair 11, Poor 3, Protective 1 case) 7. The main cause of replantation failure was thrombosis of the vein.