Microsurgery successfully saves sailor's severed finger after 25 hours

(Chinhphu.vn) – Medical experts said this is an extremely special case. In limb reattachment cases, prolonged ischemia is often a huge obstacle.

Image of the patient's severed finger being located and fixed with a specialized needle - Photo: VGP

According to information from Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, while on duty on an ocean-going ship, when storm No. 12 hit, a sailor had an accident while repairing equipment, causing his right index finger to be severed.

Fortunately, the crew on board quickly performed first aid and preserved the severed limb in a thermos, brought the patient ashore and took him to the nearest medical facility in the Central region. In the emergency situation, after receiving emergency treatment from medical staff, the patient wanted to have the severed limb reattached and decided to go to Viet Duc Friendship Hospital (Hanoi facility) to do so. The total duration of anemia was long, up to 25 hours.

Here, experts evaluated the severed limb and noted that the severed limb had been properly treated and preserved, the finger joints were still soft, and the tissue structure was well preserved. The hospital immediately held a multidisciplinary consultation including plastic surgery, anesthesia and resuscitation, and orthopedic trauma to come up with an optimal treatment strategy and decided to perform microsurgery to reattach the patient's finger.

In the operating room, the emergency surgical team was deployed with the coordination of many specialties: microsurgery, anesthesia, resuscitation, orthopedics... Two surgical teams were deployed in parallel, one team cleaned and prepared the severed finger, the other team prepared the stump.

The finger bone is positioned and fixed with a specialized needle to create a stable axis, the tendon and ligament system is restored. In particular, the nerves and tiny blood vessels of only about 0.8 - 1mm are restored with high precision under a surgical microscope with special tools, to ensure the restoration of blood circulation to the severed part.

This is a technique that requires the highest level of sophistication, because if just one vascular connection is not open, blood flow cannot nourish the fingertip and the limb will become gangrenous. In the case of a record ischemia lasting 25 hours, everything from the amount of blood flow to the temperature of the finger, controlling the risk of vasospasm and monitoring the peripheral circulation after surgery is very important to ensure the finger is fully revived.

Currently, the patient is undergoing rehabilitation to regain the mobility of his fingers. Photo: VGP

First aid for severed limbs

Dr. Vu Trung Truc, Deputy Head of the Department of Maxillofacial, Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, who directly performed the surgery, shared that this was an extremely special case. In cases of limb reattachment, prolonged ischemia is often a huge obstacle. Before surgery, the patient and the severed body part need to be carefully evaluated.

In this case, thanks to the proper preservation of the severed limb at the scene, the finger joint did not stiffen due to being preserved at the right temperature. Another factor is that the finger structure (including bones, skin, nerves, blood vessels) is more resistant to anemia than the muscular part of the limb, so the finger was ischemic for 25 hours but could still be reattached. At the same time, the team of experienced doctors and nurses and the good coordination between specialties are the strengths of the Hospital. These are the major factors that determine the success of the surgery.

After surgery, the patient's wound has healed, the finger is pink and completely alive, the patient can remove the stitches and the fixation needle. Currently, the patient is undergoing rehabilitation exercises to regain the mobility and feeling of the finger.

Medical experts warn that accidents involving severed fingers, hands or other body parts can happen at any time, so people need to be equipped with proper first aid knowledge, because this is the deciding factor in the ability to save a limb.

Specifically, do not wash or soak the severed limb in any solution. In case the severed limb is in a dirty environment with many foreign objects, it can be washed under clean running water, preferably purified drinking water or boiled and cooled water.

Wrap the limb in clean gauze/towel, put it in a plastic bag and tie it tightly (avoid direct contact with ice). Place the bag containing the limb in another bag containing ice.

Keep the limb in a clean, temperature-stabilized environment and transport it as quickly as possible. At the same time, take the victim to the nearest medical facility for treatment and further instructions.

People should not arbitrarily handle or use drugs or disinfectants on severed limbs.

Being equipped with first aid knowledge, calmly handling and preserving the situation right at the scene significantly increases the success rate of surgery, helps restore function and aesthetics, and reduces the risk of disability for accident victims.

HM

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/vi-phau-thanh-cong-cuu-song-ngon-tay-thuy-thu-bi-dut-roi-sau-25-gio-102251209105918332.htm