Mixer grinder finger tip injuries and treatment outcome in a rural based tertiary center: a retrospective study
Background: Early morning mixer grinder fingertip injuries is encountered predominantly in females. Most of these injuries happened due to improper use of the grinder like keeping hands into the mixer when still the blades on run immediately after switching off the machine and sometimes during washing the jar. It can lead to injury of either single or multiple finger and either at single or multiple levels. Early wound debridement and reconstruction is essential for good functional outcome, prevention of the deformity and to achieve good cosmesis. The objective of the study was to classify the mixer grinder fingertip injuries and to asses treatment outcome of different type of mixer grinder fingertip injuries.Methods: This is a retrospective study involving 12 patients over a period of 2 years. Data was collected from the previous records and was analysed using SPSS 22 version software. Categorical data was represented in the form of Frequencies and proportions.Results: In the present study most common age group involved is between 26 and 30 years (66.7%) with female predominance and most common hand involved was right hand. D3 involved most frequently and at multiple levels. Most of them were treated under wrist block followed by digital block with very good short term and long term outcome.Conclusions: The treatment of the fingertip injuries should be aimed at preserving the length of the digit by giving adequate wound debridement and primary suturing/flap reconstruction when possible to provide soft-tissue coverage with protective sensation at a minimum.