Epidemiological patterns and preventability of trauma leading to finger amputation

Abstract

SUMMARY:Traumatic finger amputation is a widespread preventable public health problem. This study aimed to define the epidemiology of finger amputations to identify important related factors in order to suggest pertinent prevention strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015 at the main orthopedic referral university hospital of Shiraz. All patients with any type of traumatic finger amputation were included. For each patient a questionnaire including demographic and injury characteristics was filled and analyzed. One hundred patients (92 men and 8 women, mean age: 32.5 ± 18 years) were enrolled. The vast majority of subjects were young men, more than half (53 cases) sustained occupation-related injuries during working time. Finger amputation following severe jammed finger in door was the second most frequent damage (18 %). Approximately 59% of victims labeled inattention during work as the reason of injury. Finger amputations in right hand were equal in frequency to the left one. Amputation of the index and middle fingers were seen as the most common amputated fingers in hands, 27% and 26% respectively. It was found that young beginner worker man with low educational level is at the highest risk of traumatic finger amputation especially with positive history of drug abusing. So, effective interventions such as closer supervision, more training programs, detection of drug addiction, and using safe engineering machines are urgently needed.