Kanchanathepsak T, Gotani H, Hamada Y, et al. - As many factors influence the healing process involved in bone distraction lengthening, a technique used for hand reconstruction, researchers examined cases of traumatic finger amputation treated using an Ilizarov mini-fixator for the effectiveness and rates of healing of the phalanges and the metacarpals. Distraction lengthening using an Ilizarov mini-fixator was performed in 14 phalanges and 12 metacarpals in 15 patients (13 males and 2 females; mean age: 42.8 years) between 2014 and 2017. All the digits had been subjected to traumatic amputation, and shortening of the remaining digit had transpired despite successful replantation in some cases. The mean lengthening of 13.3 mm was observed in the phalanges, while in the metacarpals, it was 26.5 mm. Outcomes support the efficacy of distraction lengthening of the digits after traumatic amputation for hand reconstructive surgery for either the phalanges or the metacarpals; this procedure is identified to be less invasive than other techniques. Two times faster healing was observed in the metacarpals than the phalanges.