eMedicine Specialties > Emergency Medicine > Trauma & Orthopedics

Fingertip Injuries: Differential Diagnoses & Workup

Author: Glen Vaughn, MD, Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Defiance Hospital
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Oct 6, 2009

Workup

Laboratory Studies

  • No laboratory studies are indicated, other than standard preoperative labs if surgery is required.

Imaging Studies

  • Radiographs may be necessary either to assess alignment of distal phalanx fractures or to detect presence of foreign bodies.

More on Fingertip Injuries

Overview: Fingertip Injuries
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Fingertip Injuries
Treatment & Medication: Fingertip Injuries
Follow-up: Fingertip Injuries
Multimedia: Fingertip Injuries
References
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References

  1. Chang J, Vernadakis AJ, McClellan WT. Fingertip injuries. Clin Occup Environ Med. 2006;5(2):413-22, ix. [Medline].

  2. Lemmon JA, Janis JE, Rohrich RJ. Soft-tissue injuries of the fingertip: methods of evaluation and treatment. An algorithmic approach. Plast Reconstr Surg. Sep 2008;122(3):105e-117e. [Medline].

  3. Gellman H. Fingertip-nail bed injuries in children: current concepts and controversies of treatment. J Craniofac Surg. Jul 2009;20(4):1033-5. [Medline].

  4. Li J, Guo Z, Zhu Q, Lei W, Han Y, Li M. Fingertip replantation: determinants of survival. Plast Reconstr Surg. Sep 2008;122(3):833-9. [Medline].

  5. Zhou X, Xu Y, Rui Y, Yao Q. [Investigation of new classification and repair methods for fingertip traverse amputation]. Zhongguo Xiu Fu Chong Jian Wai Ke Za Zhi. Sep 2008;22(9):1089-91. [Medline].

  6. Adani R, Marcoccio I, Tarallo L. Treatment of fingertips amputation using the Hirase technique. Hand Surg. Dec 2003;8(2):257-64. [Medline].

  7. Almquist EE. Hand injuries in children. Pediatr Clin North Am. Dec 1986;33(6):1511-22. [Medline].

  8. Brown RE. Acute nail bed injuries. Hand Clin. Nov 2002;18(4):561-75. [Medline].

  9. Browne EZ. Complications of fingertip injuries. Hand Clin. Feb 1994;10(1):125-37. [Medline].

  10. de Alwis W. Fingertip injuries. Emerg Med Australas. Jun 2006;18(3):229-37. [Medline].

  11. Evans DM, Bernardis C. A new classification for fingertip injuries. J Hand Surg [Br]. Feb 2000;25(1):58-60. [Medline].

  12. Hart RG, Kleinert HE. Fingertip and nail bed injuries. Emerg Med Clin North Am. Aug 1993;11(3):755-65. [Medline].

  13. Hirase Y. Salvage of fingertip amputated at nail level: new surgical principles and treatments. Ann Plast Surg. Feb 1997;38(2):151-7. [Medline].

  14. Inglefield CJ, D'Arcangelo M, Kolhe PS. Injuries to the nail bed in childhood. J Hand Surg [Br]. Apr 1995;20(2):258-61. [Medline].

  15. Ipsen T, Frandsen PA, Barfred T. Conservative treatment of fingertip injuries. Injury. May 1987;18(3):203-5. [Medline].

  16. Kim WK, Lim JH, Han SK. Fingertip replantations: clinical evaluation of 135 digits. Plast Reconstr Surg. Sep 1996;98(3):470-6. [Medline].

  17. Lee LP, Lau PY, Chan CW. A simple and efficient treatment for fingertip injuries. J Hand Surg [Br]. Feb 1995;20(1):63-71. [Medline].

  18. Macgregor DM, Hiscox JA. Fingertip trauma in children from doors. Scott Med J. Aug 1999;44(4):114-5. [Medline].

  19. Martin C, Gonzalez del Pino J. Controversies in the treatment of fingertip amputations. Conservative versus surgical reconstruction. Clin Orthop. Aug 1998;(353):63-73. [Medline].

  20. Mennen U, Wiese A. Fingertip injuries management with semi-occlusive dressing. J Hand Surg [Br]. Aug 1993;18(4):416-22. [Medline].

  21. Muneuchi G, Tamai M, Igawa K, et al. The PNB classification for treatment of fingertip injuries: the boundary between conservative treatment and surgical treatment. Ann Plast Surg. Jun 2005;54(6):604-9. [Medline].

  22. Pasapula C, Strick M. The use of chloramphenicol ointment as an adhesive for replacement of the nail plate after simple nail bed repairs. J Hand Surg [Br]. Dec 2004;29(6):634-5. [Medline].

  23. Roser SE, Gellman H. Comparison of nail bed repair versus nail trephination for subungual hematomas in children. J Hand Surg [Am]. Nov 1999;24(6):1166-70. [Medline].

  24. Russell RC, Casas LA. Management of fingertip injuries. Clin Plast Surg. Jul 1989;16(3):405-25. [Medline].

  25. Shabat S, Sagiv P, Stern A, Nyska M. Polyurethane film (opsite) for superficial fingertip avulsion injuries. Plast Reconstr Surg. Aug 2000;106(2):512. [Medline].

  26. Stanislas JM, Waldram MA. Keep the nail plate on with Histoacryl. Injury. Oct 1997;28(8):507-8. [Medline].

  27. Stevenson TR. Fingertip and nailbed injuries. Orthop Clin North Am. Jan 1992;23(1):149-59. [Medline].

  28. Williamson DM, Sherman KP, Shakespeare DT. The use of semipermeable dressings in fingertip injuries. J Hand Surg [Br]. Feb 1987;12(1):125-6. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

fingertip injury, fingertip injuries, finger tip injury, blunt injuries, crush injuries, subungual hematomas, nail root avulsions, fractures of the terminal phalanx, sharp injuries, shearing injuries, fingertip lacerations, avulsed fingertip, fingertip burns, fingertip frostbite, terminal phalanx, hand injuries, damage to the nailbed, fingertip amputations, nailbed laceration

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Glen Vaughn, MD, Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Defiance Hospital
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Jeffrey Glenn Bowman, MD, MS, Consulting Staff, Highfield MRI, Columbus, Ohio
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Eric L Legome, MD, Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital Manhattan; Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Medical College
Eric L Legome, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

John D Halamka, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Section of Emergency Medicine, Yale-New Haven Hospital
Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

 
 
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