Epidemiology of amputations and severe injuries of the hand

In a prospective population-based study, all open hand, wrist, and forearm injuries that were treated during a 10-year period, at hospitals and emergency wards in three Norwegian cities with 225,000 inhabitants, were registered. Injury severity was graded using the abbreviated injury scale (AIS). For moderate injuries (AIS 2) overall incidence (95% CI) was 59 (56-62), incidence among males 92 (86-98), and among females 28 (25-31) per 100,000 person-years. For severe injuries (AIS > or = 3), overall incidence (95% CI) was 7.5 (6.3-8.6), incidence among males 11.1 (9.1-13.1), and among females 4.0 (2.8-5.2) per 100,000 person-years. In a second study, all upper extremity amputation and devascularization injuries were referred during a 9-year period to the only replantation center in a southern Swedish region where 1.6 million inhabitants were analyzed. The incidence rate (95% CI) for upper extremity amputation or devascularization injuries potentially requiring replantation or revascularization was 1.9 (1.7-2.1), incidence among males 3.3 (2.9-3.7), and among females 0.5 (0.4-0.7) per 100,000 person-years.