Factors Affecting Composite Graft Survival in Digital Tip Amputations

Distal fingertip amputations present the hand surgeon with a myriad of treatment options. Composite tissue replantation offers the patient the possibility of maintaining digital length and function. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of this treatment modality and to support its use. During a 2.5-year period, 53 patients with 57 digital tip amputations distal to the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint underwent composite tissue grafting of the tip with minimal defatting. All patients were evaluated in a prospective manner. Specific information regarding the patient and the injury were recorded. The survival rates for amputations distal to the eponychium and between the DIP joint and eponychium were 58% and 43%, respectively. Smoking was the only significant factor that had a strong, independent association with graft loss. Age older than 18 years and alcohol use appeared only initially to have an effect on graft survival because they were so closely linked with smoking. Diabetes mellitus and crush-type injuries may potentially predispose a graft to fail, but a larger sample size is needed to prove this with significance. There were no infections or serious complications, even in those grafts that failed. After reviewing the data, the authors recommend using composite tissue replantation for fingertip amputations distal to the DIP joint in nonsmokers.