First Aid and Treatment for a Cut or Severed Finger

Introduction

Finger cut or severing is a common injury that can occur due to various reasons, such as sharp objects, a finger caught in slamming doors, or any other accident. It can be a mild cut, or a finger can be severely injured or amputated from the hand, partially (some structure remains attached after injury) or completely (the finger gets amputated or removed). Also, these types of finger injuries can damage any part of the finger, such as soft tissue and skin, fingertip bone, nail, or nailbed, or the entire finger can get amputated.

Finger cut injuries can affect hand functions and lead to permanent disability or deformity due to nerve damage. However, with timely treatment and emergency care, these wounded, cut, or severed fingers can be managed or reattached. Therefore, the article discusses first aid and treatment for cut or severed fingers and how to deal with this injury.

What Is the First Aid for a Cut or Severed Finger?

According to AADA (American Academy of Dermatology Association), during a cut or severed finger, first aid should be immediately given to the person to stop bleeding and analyze the severity of the cut or injury.

The steps involved in emergency medical treatment or first aid for a finger cut are as follows:

• The affected area is cleaned with water and soap.

• Pressure should be applied to the area to control bleeding.

• Petroleum is then applied to the wound or injury to promote healing.

• The affected finger is covered with a dressing or bandage to prevent infection.

• The hand should be elevated to reduce swelling and inflammation.

• Over-the-counter (OTC) medication is also prescribed to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation.

Minor finger cuts healed within a week; however, in the case of a completely severed or injured finger, first aid steps are as follows:

• The severed part should be cleaned with water or saline solution.

• Next, it should be covered with moistened gauze and sealed inside a plastic bag.

• This plastic bag should be placed inside a watertight container with ice and taken to the emergency room or hospital with the injured person for the doctor to examine carefully.

• NOTE: The amputated finger or a part of the finger should not be placed in direct contact with the ice as it can cause further damage.

When to Consult the Doctor in Case of a Cut or a Severed Finger?

The doctor must be consulted in the following cases:

• Deep finger cuts or wounds.

• The bone gets exposed.

• Need help moving the finger.

• Unable to clean the wound as it appears dirty. In such cases, antibiotics are needed.

• Injury due to animal or human bite.

• Open wound or puncture, and one has not taken a tetanus shot in the last ten years.

• Signs of infection, such as redness, pus, pain, or swelling, are present, and wound healing takes time.

• Foul odor from the injury or wound.

• Nerve damage (symptoms include numbness, weakness, or severe and persistent pain and swelling).

How Is the Medical Examination Done for a Cut or Severed Finger?

The doctor takes the patient’s medical history by asking about how the injury has happened. Also, the doctor may ask about the following:

• If a person has any underlying medical condition, such as high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes (high blood sugar), or arthritis and other joint problems.

• If a person takes any medications.

• If one smokes or not.

• If there is any history of past injury or accident to the affected finger or hand.

• They may also ask about when and how the injury has occurred.

• If the injured hand is one’s dominant hand (the one they use the most for performing motor skills).

• If a person has received tetanus immunization or not.

The doctor carefully examines the injured, cut, or severed finger to rule out missing tissue, exposed bone, or nail and nail bed injury. In such cases, wound cleaning and dead tissue removal are done to prevent infection.

X-rays are advised in cases of broken bones. In some cases, bleeding occurs due to injuries under the fingernail, causing a sublingual hematoma, which is resolved by relieving the pressure by piercing the fingernail.

What Are the Treatment Options for a Cut or Severed Finger?

Minor injuries or cuts are treated with dressing, antibiotics, and tetanus shots (if needed). Severed finger injuries require reattachment through surgery and are assessed by the doctor under the microscope to see if they can be reattached.

Following are the steps involved in reattaching the severed finger:

• The patient is given general anesthesia through injection so that they do not feel the pain.

• Next, debridement prevents infection by removing the dead and damaged tissues from the affected area (wound) and the amputated finger.

• Then, bone care is done, and the doctor trims the ends of the bone to fit the bones together in case of damage.

• This is followed by reconstructive surgery to save the amputated finger through a microsurgery. The finger is kept alive by suturing the blood vessels, nerves, and tendons inside the finger to heal completely after reattachment.

• The reattachment of bones is done through plates, screws, or wires, followed by stitching the wound and putting a bandage.

Recovery Post-surgery:

It usually depends on the type of injury and the surgery needed to fix the issue. Recovery may also be possible in a few weeks to a few years. The patient is prescribed pain medications during healing, antibiotics on the surgery day, and a few weeks after that to prevent infection. The patient is instructed about changing the dressing, and the doctor schedules the follow-ups, maybe after a week post-surgery, to remove stitches on the cut or severed finger and later to monitor the healing process.

What Are the Post-Operative Complications of Cut or Severed Finger?

• Poor or delayed wound healing.

• Infection (signs include pus, fever, redness, and swelling).

• Stiffness.

• Hypersensitivity and persistent numbness.

• Abnormal nail growth.

• Change in nail or skin color.

• Anesthesia-related reactions, such as vomiting and nausea.

• Loss of viability in the amputated finger.

• Pain in the nerve during the healing process or neuroma.

Conclusion

To conclude, the severed finger can only be reattached if the damage is not much and is done within six hours post-injury. If reattachment of the severed finger is not possible, then also a person needs surgery to manage the wound. In such cases, the skin graft or flap is taken from the person’s skin to cover the wound or injury. Severed fingers are managed and repaired together by a plastic surgeon and an orthopedic surgeon.