Functional and clinical outcomes in the Krukenberg amputation

Area of Science:

• Reconstructive surgery
• Hand surgery
• Burn injury management

Background:

• Electrical burn injuries can lead to severe hand deformities and functional loss.
• The Krukenberg procedure is a reconstructive option for severe hand loss, particularly in cases of bilateral hand involvement or when other surgical interventions are not viable.
• Evaluating the outcomes of this procedure is crucial for understanding its efficacy in specific injury contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the functional and subjective outcomes of the Krukenberg procedure in patients who experienced hand loss due to electrical burns.
• To determine the procedure's effectiveness and patient satisfaction in a specific cohort.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case series involving six patients (10 hands) who underwent the Krukenberg procedure for hand loss from electrical burns.
• Data collection included patient demographics, surgical details, complications, clinical measurements, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores, and subjective outcomes like social acceptance and employment status.

Main Results:

• The median Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score at follow-up was 22.
• Patients reported a recovery of useful function in the operated limbs.
• Subjective outcomes regarding social acceptance and employment were also considered.

Conclusions:

• The Krukenberg procedure can restore useful function in hands severely damaged by electrical burns.
• This surgical approach is a viable and recommended option in low-resource settings where alternative reconstructive surgeries are not possible.
• The study highlights the procedure's utility for improving quality of life in patients with significant hand loss.