Paediatric fingertip composite grafts: Do they all go black?
Research article published in Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS (2016)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fingertip injuries are amongst the most frequently seen hand injuries in the paediatric population. The present study evaluated the composite graft survival rate in distal digital amputations with respect to injury type, amputation level and time to surgery. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent composite grafting of fingertip injuries over an 11-year period at a paediatric hospital. All children who underwent non-vascularized replantation of amputated fingertips were included. Patients were excluded if they failed to attend at least one follow-up appointment. Demographic information was recorded. The nature and level of injury and time to surgery was also recorded. Graft viability was characterized as no take, partial take, or complete take. The number of secondary procedures and number and duration of follow-up appointments were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 105 patients underwent fingertip composite grafting, of whom 96 were suitable for inclusion in this study. The median age was 2.4 years (0-16 years); there were 48 boys (46%) and 57 girls (54%). Thirty-one patients had no graft take (32%), 50 patients had partial take (52%) and 15 patients had complete take (16%). Only two patients underwent secondary revision (2%). The median number of follow-up appointments was 4, and the mean follow-up time was 68 days. Time to surgery or level of amputation did not have a statistically significant influence on outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Over two-thirds of composite grafts in children showed some degree of take, albeit partially in the majority. Morbidity was low, and most children did not require further surgery.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
Fingertip injuries are amongst the most frequently seen hand injuries in the paediatric population.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
Esta revisión retrospectiva de 11 años incluyó a 96 pacientes pediátricos sometidos a injertos compuestos no vascularizados de lesiones por amputación digital distal, encontrando que aproximadamente dos tercios de los injertos mostraron cierto grado de supervivencia (prendimiento parcial o completo), con baja morbilidad y solo un 2 % que requirió revisión secundaria. El tiempo transcurrido hasta la cirugía y el nivel de amputación no influyeron significativamente en los resultados del injerto. Si bien el tema del rescate tisular digital tras una lesión se relaciona de forma tangencial con contextos clínicos donde a veces se discute la hirudoterapia, este estudio no involucra sanguijuelas, hirudoterapia ni ningún agente derivado de sanguijuelas, y el resumen no especifica qué medidas complementarias, si las hubo, se emplearon. La relevancia para el ámbito de ASH es, en el mejor de los casos, indirecta.
Citación
Paediatric fingertip composite grafts: Do they all go black?
Murphy AD et al. · Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS, 2016
Contexto clínico relacionado
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Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: May 27, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: 18 de junio de 2026