Semi-occlusive Dressing Therapy for Pediatric Fingertip Amputations: a Prospective Observational Study on Pain Progression and Clinical Outcomes

The semi-occlusive wound dressing has now become an established method for treating fingertip (partial) amputations. Very good outcomes have been published for adults. A retrospective study also reports very good results in children (Schultz et al., 2018). However, prospective studies describing the outcomes and pain progression of semi-occlusive wound dressings for fingertip (partial) amputations in children and adolescents are not available.

All children and adolescents treated at our clinic for fingertip (partial) amputations using semi-occlusive wound therapy will be included in the study-following written informed consent from the patients and/or their parents.

A case report form will be completed for each patient. On the day of the accident, data regarding the injury will be recorded and photographic documentation will be performed. Patients or their parents will be given a pain diary to be completed once daily at home. The first follow-up examination will take place after two days, with additional visits scheduled weekly up to and including five weeks after the injury (these visits are part of routine care and would occur regardless of the study).

As part of the study-specific follow-ups at six months, range of motion of the affected distal phalanx (compared side-to-side) will be assessed, and any nail growth disturbances will be documented. Photographs of the affected fingertip and the contralateral side will be taken. Patient satisfaction will be recorded on a scale from 0 (dissatisfied) to 100 (very satisfied).

The routine treatment of these injuries at our clinic will not be altered by the study. The only study-related interventions are the daily completion of a pain diary and clinical follow-up examinations at six months.