Hsu CC, Malay S, Chung TT, et al. - Via investigating the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan that contains the population data on finger amputations, researchers sought to appraise the epidemiology of traumatic finger amputations and determine the incidence of replantation attempts. Additionally, they investigated the patient, surgeon, and hospital characteristics that were linked with replantation attempts. They assessed 49,469 patients with traumatic digit amputations reported in NHIRD and identified decision making of amputated digit management as multifactorial centered around three levels viz patient, surgeon and hospital characteristics. Significant increase in the replantation rate was noted with increased hospital volume; significantly more replantations were carried out in high volume hospitals. More replantation are undertaken by surgeons with greater experience. The consensus to maintain body integrity and physical appearance motivates Taiwanese surgeons to improve digit replantation indications.

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