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Background Due to the devastating and far-reaching impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic, hospital resources have been redirected to protect patients and health care staff, thereby vastly reducing the capacity for outpatient follow-up within a busy Plastic Surgery and Hand Trauma center. Through the use of telephone and video technology, virtual clinics were rapidly introduced to reduce hospital footfall. Methods This retrospective cohort study analyzed patient experiences in virtual and traditional face-to-face clinics through the month of April 2020, from the second week of the government-imposed lockdown. A 5-point Visit-Specific Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to subsequently collect patients’ feedback regarding their appointments. Results A total of 107 hand injury–related follow-up appointments were recorded during the 4-week period. Sixty (56.0%) appointments were performed as a virtual consultation, and 47 (43.9%) face-to-face consultations were carried out on site. It was possible to discharge 43.3% from the virtual clinic group and 57.4% from the face-to-face group. We identified no significant difference in patient satisfaction ( P = .368, Mann-Whitney U test) between the 2 cohorts. Conclusion Virtual clinics appear to be safe and effective for the follow-up of patients with traumatic hand injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic. This approach may prove beneficial in terms of workforce organization, reducing waiting times, and providing an alternative for patients unable to attend physical appointments.

Hand fractures are the most common fractures of the upper extremity, with a reported incidence of 3.7 per 1000 per year for men and 1.3 per 1000 per year for women. Understanding the diagnosis and management of these injuries is vital for any clinician working in the emergency department, plastic or orthopaedic surgery or providing community care. This review identifies the most common presentations and outlines how to assess and manage such fractures appropriately, with an emphasis on clinical and radiographic examination. The majority of hand fractures are managed conservatively and operative management should be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis with analysis of patient and fracture-related factors, in order to achieve optimal hand function following treatment.

Traumatic digit amputations account for 1% of all trauma admissions and are an important cause of morbidity in young, working people. It is essential that patients are worked up appropriately and referred promptly to a specialist unit for consideration of replantation. This review summarises the acute management of a patient presenting to the emergency department with an amputated digit. It discusses the assessment, initial management in the emergency department, how to make the decision to replant and operative steps.