title: Tamai zone I fingertip replantation: is external bleeding obligatory for survival of artery anastomosis-only replanted digits?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Distal fingertip replantation is associated with good functional and aesthetic results. Venous anastomosis is the most challenging procedure. For replantation with an artery anastomosis-only procedure (no venous anastomosis), some protocols have been designed to relieve venous congestion involve anticoagulation and the creation of wounds for persistent bleeding. This report presents the authors' experience of fingertip survival after artery anastomosis-only replantation with no persistent external bleeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve Tamai zone I fingertip total amputation patients who underwent artery anastomosis-only replantations were recruited from February 2009 to June 2012. Nerve repair was performed if identified. The patients were not subjected to conventional external bleeding methods. Both the blood color on pinprick and fingertip temperature difference between the replanted and uninjured digits were used as indicators of deteriorated venous congestion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The replanted digits of 11 patients survived. The only failed replant exhibited an average temperature difference of more than 6°C compared with the uninjured digits and consistently exhibited darker blood during the pinprick test. All other replants exhibited average temperature differences of less than 6°C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In these Tamai zone I artery anastomosis-only replantations, fingertips survived without the use of external bleeding method, indicating that external bleeding is probably not obligatory for survival of artery anastomosis-only replanted digits distal to Tamai zone I. An increasing temperature difference between the replanted and uninjured digits and darker blood on pinprick may be used as indicators of deteriorating congestion signs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ko-Kang
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tung-Ying
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Kao-Ping
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery*; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012092:Replantation / Q000379:methods*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*