Vascular Transplantation is Important in a Degloving Injury
A degloving injury can be challenging to recover from. However, a recently published research paper shows that vascular transplantation can be critical in the treatment process. In a degloving injury, the skin is removed from a portion of the body, leaving the soft tissue exposed underneath. Some of the most common locations of degloving injuries include the fingers, hands, toes, feet, and ankles. If someone has suffered a degloving injury, some of the soft tissue underneath the skin might be torn away as well. This includes muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels.
For skin and soft tissues to heal, they require a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients. This is why the blood vessels are so important. The blood vessels carry oxygen and nutrients, helping the body recover from this severe injury. This is how vascular transplantation of blood vessels could play a role in major degloving injuries.
A Challenge for Surgeons
In a research paper that was published in Therapeutic and Clinical Risk Management, a group of doctors discussed that degloving injuries present a significant challenge for surgeons. While much of the focus is on saving a patient’s life, it is just as important to give that individual a good chance at making a full recovery. Unfortunately, when someone suffers a degloving injury, even soft tissue that hasn’t been avulsed might be severely damaged.
Surgeons study anatomy and often expect tendons, ligaments, bone, muscles, and blood vessels to be in a particular spot. Following a degloving injury, these tissues might have been damaged and moved to other locations. This leaves many surgeons wondering how they are supposed to repair something that looks nothing like it should.
A Published Case Report on Vessel Transplantation
The researchers discussed the case of a young man who had suffered a serious degloving injury of the hand. He had sustained this injury when his right hand was caught in a printing machine. This machine sucked in his hand, removing the skin from the wrist to the ends of the fingers. While most of the soft tissue had remained intact, one of the major arteries of the hand had been cut. For the hand to recover, this blood supply needed to be restored.
The surgeon performed a brachial plexus nerve block to numb the area. Then, vessel transplantation was performed to restore blood flow. Multiple veins were also transplanted to ensure that all of the tissues had an appropriate blood supply during the recovery. The entire operation took about seven hours.
Restoring Function in the Hand
Unfortunately, the recovery process doesn’t end when someone leaves the hospital. After this, individuals often have to undergo significant physical therapy to restore motor and sensory function to the rest of the hand. Two years after the operation had been completed, this individual had regained a significant amount of motor and sensory function, improving his quality of life.
This research paper shows that vessel transplantation is an essential part of degloving injury treatment, including those of the hand. Blood supply, oxygen, and nutrition play a significant role in the healing of skin and soft tissue injuries. Even those who suffer serious degloving injuries have hope for a full recovery.
Watch YouTube Video: First of Its Kind Blood Vessel Implant Performed at Duke. This video discusses the first-ever vessel implant in the United States.
Sacramento Degloving Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Degloving Injury Lawyer. Vascular transplantation can play an important role in someone’s recovery from a devolving injury. Those who have suffered a degloving injury due to the negligence of another person or entity should contact me at (800) 404-5400 or (916) 921-6400 to receive free, friendly legal guidance & advice.
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