The use of leeches in distal digital replantation

Over the past 18 years we have operated on 50 patients who had sustained distal amputation of fingers. Their average age was 30 years (range 2-72 years). Replantation of radial digits on the right hand was most common and the thumb was involved in nearly half the cases in our series. Out of the 50 cases we were able to repair both arteries in 35 patients and only one artery in the other 15. Regarding veins, two were anastomosed in 12, only one in 23 and none in 15 because of the severity of the contusion or the very distal site of replantation. Although early arterial thrombosis usually leaves no solution other than reoperation, venous complications can be relieved by ancillary methods such as leeches which we first used in 1976. We encountered a venous problem in 16 (32%) out of the 50 cases. In three cases a venous anastomosis had been performed, but in 13 others it proved impossible. If congestion was mild, paraungeal or pulpar incision provided some relief because of repeated topical application of heparin and systemic heparinization. If congestion was severe, leeches were used on average for 6 days at a frequency of four to six leeches a day. All cases where leeches were used could be salvaged. One can assess through this sequence that the use of leeches in distal digital replantation has improved the survival rate by 26%.