Use of boy’s finger restored after avulsion fracture [graphic images]

The patient

A 7-year-old male riding on a tractor with his father suffered a a crush injury to his left ring finger. The two were starting to ascend a hill when the boy’s finger became caught between the tractor and the trailing bushhog.

The challenge

All parts of the finger had been crushed, including the blood vessels, and the finger was not perfused. The patient was at risk of the losing the digit without immediate intervention.

The physician

The solution

The patient was transferred to Norton Children’s Hospital and brought to the operating room for emergency avulsion fracture finger surgery . The fracture was stabilized and pinned in place. The artery had been crushed for a long segment on both sides of the finger. The injury segment was removed, and a vein graft was harvested from the forearm and used to reconstruct the blood vessel.

 

The result

The patient’s finger survived, and he was able to return to normal activities, including baseball, in the spring.