New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) A 30-year-old woman who suffered severe damage to a finger joint in a road accident has regained movement in her left middle finger after undergoing a rare small-joint replacement surgery in Delhi, a private hospital said on Monday. The procedure was performed at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on September 18, using a two-piece artificial implant to replace the damaged proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint of her middle finger. She was discharged the following day and was able to actively move the finger, according to a statement issued by the hospital.
The woman had sustained extensive damage to the PIP joint of her middle finger and significant bone loss after the accident. Despite initial treatment to save the finger, the joint became completely stiff, leaving her unable to move it and making routine activities difficult, the statement read.
Doctors then opted for joint replacement using a two-piece artificial implant. The implant used in the procedure was the CapFlex PIP system.
Dr Nikhil Jhunjhunwala, a hand and microsurgeon at the hospital, said it was the first time the particular implant had been used for a small-joint replacement in Delhi.
“The challenge in this case was not only the destruction of the joint but also the associated loss of bone. We had to plan the reconstruction carefully to restore the mechanics of the finger while preserving the surrounding soft tissues,” the statement quoted Jhunjhunwala as saying.
The PIP joint is one of the small joints that enables a finger to bend.
Replacing such joints is technically demanding because of the presence of closely packed tendons, nerves and blood vessels, he said.
“The objective was to give her a functional finger rather than simply replace a damaged joint. She was able to actively move the finger soon after surgery, which was encouraging,” Jhunjhunwala said.
The woman had been facing difficulty with everyday activities, including cooking and holding utensils, because of the stiff finger, according to the statement. PTI MSJ PRK
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