Article

Finger amputations are common and hands are essential for functioning, but
studies on factors influencing functioning after finger amputation are lacking.
Therefore, we aimed to explore the influence of the number and level of amputated
fingers on hand function and grip strength.
A prospective descriptive
cross-sectional study involving 69 patients with partial or complete amputation
of one or more fingers of one hand was carried out.
The function of both hands
was assessed using the Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure test; grip strength
was measured in 42 patients. We confirmed that finger amputation worsens hand
function (especially tripod and tip pinch) and reduces grip strength, whereby the
extent of the worsening depends on amputation type - it is the smallest after
thumb amputation and the largest after amputation of the index finger and fingers
III-V. However, because of the variety of amputation types, we recommend that
future studies either involve very large samples or focus on specific amputations.

Langue : ANGLAIS