An interdisciplinary medical team of the Feldkirch State Hospital in Vorarlberg recently carried out an unusual procedure: they replaced a thumb-mounted thumb through a toe and thus gave a 50-year-old farmer back.
It is unthinkable for a farmer to manage a farm without functional hands. The operation therefore ensured the existence of the Vorarlberg -farmer. He is already working again and makes progress every day. This is also satisfied with the treatment team around the plastic surgeon Dr. Christian servant: “Our patient still needs support at the entrance of the hay. But his goal to be able to lead his farm again at the end of May is quite realistic.”
From the infection to amputation
Everything had started so harmless: on his farm, De Boer brought an initially very simple cracking wound on the thumb in the spring last year: “A scratch to his right – and therefore dominant – hand. The wound, however, quickly lit.” Snonder, the infection spread over the entire forearm to the elbow. And then everything went very fast. The patient had to be moved to intensive care with a sepsis. “
The thumb was no longer saved: he died and had to be amputated in May of the previous year. This was followed by a treatment path of physiotherapy, wound management and lymphatic drainage for more than nine months, until the swelling went back and arm to move the remaining fingers again.
A daring plan
Then the teams of the departments have “Plastic surgery” and “Orthopedics and trauma surgery” compiled and tinkered with the daring plan to transplant the second toe to replace the amputated thumbs – there has been no such operation in the largest state hospital in Vorarlberg.
However, such an intervention is not only unorthodox, but also extremely challenging. Because the art consists of combining barrels, nerves, tendons and bones, so that the foot is on the one hand completely resilient and on the other hand, the new “thumb” feels so much and flexibility is “integrated”.
Teamwork in perfection
During the eight -hour intervention, two teams worked parallel in the operating room: one was responsible for the removal of the toe, the other for preparing the transplant on the hand. The teams then exchanged the places to keep working on the respective connection or on the closure. It was necessary to assemble the bones, tendons and nerves and to “connect” the barrels in such a way that a blood circulation is guaranteed. The microsurgical vascular connections took place by the team of plastic surgery, the tendon and bones were compiled in the experienced hands of trauma surgery. Classic teamwork in the best sense.
A year, then the feeling comes back
De Boer was able to leave the hospital again ten days after this masterpiece. “It will take about a year before our patient can feel something in the new thumb,” explains Christian servant. “The feeling will probably not be as good as in the ‘original thumb’, but a certain sense of protection, as heat and cold will certainly come soon.” In any case, during the recent check, De Boer could have already led the new thumb to the index finger to “keep something simple, so it already works”.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
