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Apr 5, 2023 · The dismembered hands, researchers reported last week in Scientific Reports, are likely a cache of battlefield trophies—prizes lopped from enemies’ bodies and exchanged for gold in a ritual known as the “gold of honor.” Egyptian texts and wall carvings describe the custom, the researchers note, but these hands represent the first physical evidence of it.
Apr 5, 2023 · So the scientists concluded that the individuals were likely dismembered during or shortly before a ceremony, with the hands being placed in the pit once rigor mortis had passed. The location of Pit L1777 where one of the analyzed hands was found in front of the throne room (indicated by the blue arrow), and the area of Pit L1542 and L1543 where the remaining 11 hands were found (shown by red ...
A lopped-off finger will still have a place on your hand for about 12 hours after amputation if not refrigerated, but a full limb like an arm or leg -- left at room temperature -- must be reattached within six to 12 hours, due to rapid death of muscle tissue. After healing from both the original injury and the reattachment surgery, a person ...
- Overview
- Severed finger first aid
- Severed finger surgery
- After finger surgery
- Finger nerve damage
- Postoperative improvement
- Complications after surgery
- The takeaway
Overview
A severed finger can mean that all or part of a finger is amputated or cut off from the hand. A finger may be completely or only partially severed.
Dealing with the scene of the injury
•If there are people around, get someone else’s attention for help. Any machinery in use should be controlled or turned off. •Don’t remove any jewelry or any clothing from the injured area. •Call an ambulance or ask someone to rush you to the emergency room. •If you have a complete amputation, look for your severed finger part or ask someone to look for it.
Dealing with the injury
•Lightly rinse your injury with water or sterile saline. •Cover the injury lightly with sterile gauze or a dressing. •Elevate your injured hand above your heart to help reduce bleeding and swelling. •Put slight pressure on the wound to help stop the bleeding. •Don’t squeeze or tightly bandage the injured area or any part of the finger or hand — this can cut off blood flow.
Caring for the severed digit
If you have a severed finger or fingers: •Don’t remove any jewelry or clothing from the finger. •Gently wash off the amputated finger with water or sterile saline – don’t scrub it. •Cover the finger in a damp, gauze wrap. •Put the finger in a clean waterproof bag. •Place the bag that the finger is in into another larger plastic bag. •Place the bundle of plastic bags on ice. •If more than one finger has been amputated, put each in its own clean bag. This helps to prevent infection and more damage to each individual digit. Keep the severed finger cold without setting it directly on ice. You can use ice or a mixture of ice and water. If you don’t have ice, keep it cold by putting the wrapped finger on a bag of frozen food or surround the bag in cold water if you can without getting the finger wet. Don’t place a severed finger directly on ice or anything frozen This can damage it. Keep it with you until you’re able to see the doctor. Bring your amputated finger with you to the emergency room. Don’t give it to anyone else to hold in case you get separated.
Surgery or an operation to reattach a severed finger is also called replantation.
Your doctor or surgeon will look at the amputated finger or fingers carefully with a microscope to find out if it can be reattached. Partially severed fingertips or fingers are more likely to be reattached. Full-length fingers severed at their base may be more difficult to reattach.
According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the steps for reattaching a severed finger include:
•Anesthesia. You’ll be given general anesthesia through an injection. This means that you’ll be asleep and won’t feel pain.
•Debridement. Your doctor may need to remove damaged or dead tissue from the wound and finger. This is called debriding; it helps to prevent infection.
•Bone care. Your doctor may need to trim the ends of the bones if there’s damage. This helps them fit together better.
Recovery time and what to expect after finger surgery depends on the type of injury and the procedure needed to fix it. Your recovery time may be from a few weeks to a few years.
Pain medication can help keep you comfortable as you heal.
You’ll likely need to take antibiotics in the days after your surgery to prevent infection. Call your doctor immediately if you see any signs of infection, such as:
•pain or tenderness
•redness
•warmth
The nerves inside the finger may take longer to heal. They may also not heal completely. Nerve damage can cause your injured finger to have:
•weakness
•numbness
•tingling
•loss of feeling
•stiffness
Physical therapy exercises for your hand and fingers can help you heal. Rehabilitation is important for getting hand function and strength back to normal. Your doctor may recommend beginning physical or occupational therapy four to eight weeks after your surgery. Ask your doctor when it’s safe to begin exercising.
You may need to continue physical or occupational therapy until the 24th week after your surgery or even longer. A physical therapist can also recommend regular home exercises. You may also need to wear a hand or finger splint to help the area heal.
Physical therapy exercises to make the hand and fingers stronger and more flexible include:
•Range of motion. Use your uninjured hand to gently straighten and bend the finger.
•Finger extension. Place your palm flat on a table and slowly raise each finger one at a time.
•Function exercise. Use your thumb and the injured finger to pick up small objects like marbles or coins.
You may have other types of damage to your finger or hand even after you’ve healed from reattachment surgery. If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, your recovery may take longer.
Problems that may go away after some time or be long-term include:
•pain
•blood clot
•cold sensitivity
•joint stiffness or arthritis
Remember that there are things you can do to help your recovery. Tips that help healing and improve your general health as you recover after having a finger or fingers severed include:
•taking all medications as prescribed
•avoiding smoking and chewing tobacco
•eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water
•wearing a splint as prescribed
•attending physiotherapy exercises
Jun 12, 2020 · 2. Gently wash the severed limb with sterile water or saline solution. Rinse, but do not scrub. If you do not have clean water or if washing the limb is not possible for another reason, skip this step. Do not submerge a severed limb in water, as this may cause damage that could hinder reattachment. [7]
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Arm, Hand and Finger Replantation. “Replantation” is the surgical reattachment of a finger, hand, or arm that has been completely separated from a person (see Figure 1). The goal of replantation surgery is to reconnect the separated part. This is done if it can give the patient back better function and appearance.
Put your hand into the glove, and put your wrist at a right angle. Your hand should be grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the glove. Velcro relevant patches together, including the triangle piece that you glued to the "sleeve" of your limb. For the best effect, you will need to keep your wrist at this right angle.
