Digital Amputations Due To Upper Extremity Injuries: A Retrospective Analysis of Patients Presenting To The Emergency Department

This study aimed to examine the characteristics of traumatic minor digital amputations in patients presenting to the emergency department, who were candidates for replantation and revascularization and to discuss the clinical outcomes of these patients. Upper extremity total/subtotal amputation cases presenting to Private Erzurum Buhara Hospital emergency department between January 1, 2018, and January 1, 2021, were retrospectively evaluated. The demographic characteristics, occupational status, etiology and type of injury, localization and level of injury, time to arrive at hospital and undergo surgery, length of hospital stay, and survival outcomes were recorded for a total of 134 patients. Of the patients, 88.1% were male, and the mean age was 36.45±20.87 years. Injuries were most commonly seen in those working in agriculture, at a rate of 61.4%. The most common injury type was avulsion (45.5%). The most common specific cause (16.4%) was related to throttle belt use. The mean time from the time of injury to arrival at the emergency department was calculated as 2.51±1.88 hours. It was found that, the survival rate was 71.6% for all the patients and 75.9% for the pediatric patients alone. In conclusion, it is found that the survival rate was higher in guillotine type injuries and in pediatric patients. It is determined that different mechanisms were involved in the etiology of these minor digital amputation cases due to the geographical region where the study was conducted. It is consider that it can be a guide for informing people working in agriculture in this region, and thus reducing the incidence of similar traumas.