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Amputated finger

Amputated finger

Overview

Replantation of an amputated part is ideally performed within 4 to 6 hours after injury, but success has been reported up to 24 hours after the injury if the amputated part has been cooled. During surgery, bone, tendon, ligaments, nerves, and vessels are reattached. Success depends upon if the blood supply can fully be restored to the amputated portion and if the nerves reattach successfully. Proper care of the amputated part is vital to successful replantation. Under proper conditions, the long-term prognosis for the restoration of function in an amputated part is quite good.

Review Date 9/20/2022

Updated by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.