Heterotopic transplantation of a reattached digit.
A patient who had suffered amputations at different levels of his nondominant left hand, and who had initially been treated with reattachment of his index and long fingers, presented with a minimally functional left hand. He was then managed by transplantation of his reattached index finger stump to the shortened ring finger. This significantly improved hand function and contour and alleviated a painful neuroma at the former ring finger amputation site. However, compared with the long finger, which was reattached once, the twice-reattached finger had less sensibility recovery, more pronounced cold intolerance, decreased basal skin temperature, and a slower digital rewarming time. Thus, even though it is technically feasible to transfer a previously reattached digit, other possible physiologic limitations must be considered before doing so.
Chiu
D T
DT
Department of Surgery, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY.
Ascherman
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012092:Replantation; D012677:Sensation; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic