VERY DISTAL FINGER AMPUTATIONS - REPLANTATION OR REPOSITION-FLAP REPAIR

0Management of very distal finger amputations is still controversial. Successful replantation results in an almost normal finger but is not without problems, such as technical difficulty, risk of failure and co st. ''Reposition-flap'' repair is a simpler procedure: it consists of distal bone and nail bed ''graft-reposition'' and pulp reconstruction by a flap. We compare ten successful replantations and six reposition- flap reconstructions. Replantation has several advantages over reposit ion-flap repair in terms of less finger shortening, longitudinal nail curvature, absence of PIP flexion contracture and shorter time off wor k, The results of reposition-flap repair are less satisfactory, but it is nevertheless a useful alternative when replantation is impossible or has failed.