Abu Dhabi doctor reconnects man’s severed finger after accident

A man whose finger was severed in an accident has been reattached by paramedics in Abu Dhabi.

Mohamed Mansour Mohamed, 30, was working on a farm in the emirate when he was spending a day at a friend’s house when the accident happened.

When the bathroom window was closed, a glass plate fell on the Egyptian’s hand, severing his left index finger.

His friends found him unconscious on the floor and took him to a nearby hospital with his fingers.

Mr Mohamed said: “Fortunately, my friend’s house was located near Bergey Medical City, so I was moved there within minutes. When I realised the extent of my injuries, I thought I had lost that forever. A finger. I didn’t think I would have the chance to regain a finger.”

Mr Mohamed’s other fingers suffered various injuries, but because the severed fingers were well preserved, doctors managed to reattach them.

The six-hour operation was performed by a medical team led by Dr. Leon Alexander, a plastic surgeon at Berger Medical City.

Before repairing the tendon, doctors secure the bone with a rigid straight line. He then fixed the arteries and veins under a microscope. Once good blood flow is established, the skin is then sutured.

Dr. Alexander said that a reconnected body part never regains 100% of its original function.

“Most physicians see a return to 60 to 80 percent of usage as a good outcome,” he said. “However, most replanted fingers only gain about 50% of the total motion. Nonetheless, replanted fingers are always better than finger/hand prostheses in terms of appearance and function.

“Meanwhile, the severed nerve regenerates at a rate of 1mm per day, so patients should gradually regain the sensation of the replanted fingers over a period of 6 to 12 months.”

Mr Mohamed now requires three to six months of occupational therapy.

“I still can’t believe what’s happened so far,” he said.

“Even though I am far away from my family, I still feel like I am part of my family. I am grateful to the medical and nursing team for taking care of me.

“They provided me with medical and psychological support and they never gave up on me.”

Updated: August 17, 2022 1:35pm

DF