Hand amputation after workplace accident
Today we have a case of a work accident in a 35 year old male.
The right hand got amputated, breaking the metacarpal bones and pulling the finger flexor and extensor tendons with it. The injury was so severe that replantation of the amputated part was not an option. The wound was debrided and then a stump was formed.
Although replantation has improved the lives of many, not all persons who have experienced amputation benefit from or are candidates for replantation. The replantation procedure represents the culmination of the field of hand surgery as a successful replantation often requires repairing blood vessels, nerves, and tendons. The decision to replant a severed part is influenced by many factors, including the importance of the part, level of injury, expected return of function, and mechanism of injury.