There was an article on hand injuries in The Star today. It described how the use of snowblowers is associated with hand injuries.
Hand injuries are the most common problem seen by Plastic Surgeons in the ER. I see one to two a day whenever I am on call. These are about 80% work related injuries (table saw being the most common) and about 15% take place at home workshops. The rest are kitchen accidents or assaults.
Hand injuries range from mild to devastating. Most are significant enough to leave the patient with a permanently handicapped hand. Just today I treated a 2 y old girl who put her hand into a meat grinder. Luckily, she did not loose any fingers, although one was damaged permanently. She lost a piece of skin and tendon on top of her finger, which means that she will not be able to fully extend her finger joint. Fingers are a very delicate structure, and it is virtually impossible to reconstruct the proper function of the extensor tendon. The reason for this is that it is a very find structure in a finger, and any attempt at reconstruction will only lead to scar formation that will immobilize the tendon making it non-functional.
Snowblower injuries tend to be devastating, usually leading to an amputation which is often irreparable. Fingers get caught and cut/broken on multiple levels. The only option left then is to close the wound or perform revision amputations.
Once a hand/finger is injured, there is a very good chance that you will end up with months of rehab and incomplete recovery. By far the best treatment of hand injuries is prevention. Watch where you put your fingers!

Martin Jugenburg,MD, FRCSC
(www.plastica.ca)
Toronto, ON