How many people have cut tendons in their fingers??

Only $200.00?!?!

Wow- I just got a copy of an itemized bill from a trip to the ER I took a few weeks ago. Had a 'massive' sinus infection, was there for like 4 hrs., got some fluids for dehydration, had some blood work done, tylenol for the fever, and some antibiotics to go.

The total? $1200.00. Glad I've got insurance...

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No, it wasn't so much not knowing if I needed it, was pretty sure I did. Was curous to see if anyone else had ha dthis happen and how it might of went for them.
$200 is cheap? hmm...I don't know what surgery rates are, so it might even be more. If it is, I'm in trouble, but I'll see what I can work out. Should be something workable.
Thank you for the feedback so far, it's been great. I might of let it try healing had I not asked anyone.
And about the guy in the Kukri Jim - I know what he means. Can't even hold my Project I now. although I'm kind of mad at it right now...
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WTH Tuff, I will swim upstream on this one... think of how masculine it would be to walk around with your pinky always straight! You would always be in demand at tea parties!
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What if this happens on middle finger? IMO walking around with a middle finger always straight could have more serious consequences.
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BTW I think Tuff is tougher than I. When I cut my ring finger I couldn't type anything for a week.

Dew.

[This message has been edited by Dew (edited 01-02-2000).]
 
Tuff; you are correct, $200 for a tendon repair is incredibly cheap. A real bargain.

Remember, the doctor has to pay his malpractice insurance, his office staff, the rent and upkeep on the office, the supplies to do the surgery and splinting. And a lot of other things you never even think of.

Malpractice insurance is so costly that I know several doctors who have stopped doing surgery or delivering babies because of the lack of profit margin. One of these guys is a neurosurgeon. Imagine spending all that time in school, plus a 5 year residency, and then not being able to do surgery because of what it costs YOU, the surgeon.

You are buying the expertise of a professional when you contract with him to do a job, not just whatever skills he uses in your particular case. The Porsche mechanic who put back my 911 after I was reareded to the tune of $23,000 did such a good job, I gave him a Sebenza.

I might suggest you purchase health insurance. After all, you are required to have automobile insurance. Who do you think pays for your injuries if you are injured seriously and need extensive medical treatment? The other, more responsible people around you, that's who. The cost of providing medical care to the uninsured is borne by the people who purchase health care insurance.

I started out poor, was married at 17, and had two kids by the time I was 20; but I was never without health insurance and car insurance. Perhaps you should rethink your priorities. Walt
 
Dew - that's why I'm called Tuff
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I should probably make another name like
"stupid" to go with it...

Walt - good advice I'll consider for the future. Guess it has to happen to you before you actualyl think about it.
 
Get the surgery.

I severed the nerve, blood vessels, and nicked the tendon while mishandling a CRKT Stiff Kiss. Needless to say the cutout in the sheath is NOT for your finger. I'm a programmer and tech writer so typing is important. About a year later I've got about 50% feeling in my finger. A lot better than no feeling.

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E. Larson
Edmonds, WA


 
A friend of mine cut the base of her pinky and lost motion in the last joint. As it was healing she banged her hand against something and felt a "twang" in her hand, whereupon she lost motion in the second joint too.

What had happened was the tendon was only partially cut, then when she banged it, it broke the rest of the way, pulling back into her hand somewhere.

After thinking about it for a few days (this was after the two week "window" that was mentioned) she decided to get the surgery.

Long story short, two surgeries and a bunch of physical therapy later she still doesn't have full use of the finger and may have another surgery to remove scar tissue that supposedly is keeping the finger from moving correctly.

If you're gonna get the surgery, get it soon.
 
"A friend of mine cut the base of her pinky and lost motion in the last joint. As it was healing she banged her hand against something and felt a "twang" in her hand, whereupon she lost motion in the second joint too.
What had happened was the tendon was only partially cut, then when she banged it, it broke the rest of the way, pulling back into her hand somewhere."

Mmm...If that's true, then the tendon in my pinkie is still partially attached. The joint with the fingernail doesn't work, but the others do. I wonder if I could still get it fixed. It's been about 8 years now, and I hammered nails with the hand, hit heavy bags, done stickfighting, etc. and nothing has popped yet.



[This message has been edited by K Williams (edited 01-03-2000).]
 
As I lay here, I am typing with a Bic pen held between my teeth. I was once young and foolish, too...

Cut one finger...thought, "Ah, I've got eleven more (actual digits may vary, according to YOUR species)...I'll just let it be." Kept doing that, and suddenly, I was making knives with my toes.

Pretty soon, my podiatric skills being lacking, I was down a few toes, too...

Then came that horrible accident with the belt grinder. Took me out from the lungs down. So, here I sit, propped up in my vat, pecking away...

No, but seriously, guy. Don't mess with yer digits. They don't grow back. They don't unscrew for replacements. And chicks don't dig it when you can't hold their hand over a lovely candlelit dinner. Get it fixed.



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One little nuclear holocaust can REALLY hose your bowling average...
 
Blues; what you and K Williams suffered was a rupture of the extensor tendon where it attaches to the distal phalanx. This means, as you so accurately described, Blues, that you cannot extend the finger at the most distal joint (nearest the fingernail). This causes the finger to remain in flexion at that joint, resembling a mallet. This is the common name for this condition, mallet finger deformity.

This is usually a closed injury, caused by jamming the finger hard into something unyielding, and rupturing the tendon as the DIP (Distal Inter Phalangeal) joint is forcefully flexed.

Despite what the doctor told you, Blues, this condition usually does NOT require surgery. Splinting the finger for 8 to 10 weeks will allow the tendon to heal. The trick is that the finger must NEVER be allowed to bend (flex) at the DIP joint, or the tendon ruptures anew. I handled dozens of these over the years, and told people to take off the splint while in the shower, but to take the thumb of the hand where the injury was, and hold it against the injured finger, in slight hyper extension.

Mr. Williams; unfortunately, after several months, the joint tends to become frozen in position, and surgical repair isn't possible. Of course, the orthopods are always coming up with new techniques, so you may wish to consult one who undoubtedly knows more than I.

Tuff; I congratulate you on a most mature and responsible reply. Sometimes even good advice is poorly received. Even by one's own children <grin>. Of course, this happens less as the children grow older; as the saying goes, the older you get, the smarter you think your parents are! Good luck to you, and I hope your finger surgery goes well. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions. Walt
 
All surgeons (literally) were off today, orthopedics too. I'll be calling early tommorow morning, see what I can get scheduled. I'll do that Walt, and let you know how it goes and what they tell me...thanks for listening.
Walt, you were saying some tendons can repair themselves if kept straight. I take it keeping it straight for now is the best position then? (it's what I've been doing)
 
I was lucky in that the operation was covered by my company since I was traveling at the time.
Mentioned this in another thread, cut my left index finger on the back side from the first joint down to the next, diagonally of course! Had to have the tendon sewn back together and still can't fold the finger into the palm completely.

Doc did say it was a very nice clean and sharp cut!
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G2

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"There are no dangerous weapons;
there are only dangerous men."
.......... Robert A. Heinlein, 1959


G2 Leatherworks
 
$200.00 Expensive?? Man i'd pay more than that just for the anaesthesia so I don't have to watch and feel what they're doing. Had surgery on my left palm once for some kind of cyst and have never felt such pain.
 
I'm not getting knocked out, no way. They can cut me open and fix me up while I watch Sportscenter or something, no need for me to sleep thru it. Want to go home as quickly as it's over anyways to tell everyone how it went...
 
Tuff, what Walt said was, when tendons heal on their own it's situations where the tendon ripped loose of the bone at the outermost joint.

Your situation is different...you're in the "won't heal without surgery" boat
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because it's a slice lower down.

Sigh.

Jim
 
Tuff; if I read your post correctly, you have severed a flexor tendon and cannot flex your finger (bend it towards palm). This injury is best splinted in position of function (slightly flexed). Repair is necessary within two weeks maximum, as the flexor tendon will tend to shorten, and they may not be able to stretch it out enough to attach the two ends. Best to get it done ASAP. Walt
 
Just found that out Walt. That stinks. I hope they are around tommorow, really don't want to have no finger for rest of my life...
 
Over a dozen years ago when I was in college, I was up late one night messing with my custom Balisong weehawk blade butterfly knife, hand ground by Jody Samson, when I decided to test the effectiveness of the guard. The guard failed the test as the razor sharp edge sliced my pinky.

I went to the emergency room and after a three hour wait, my pinky was sutured. I went to have the sutures removed after about 10 days. At that point it was discovered that I had severed my flexor tendon. The incompetent ER doc had not checked for this. By this time, it was too late to reattach the tendon. I had microsurgery which involved grafting a tendon from my forearm into my pinky. My understanding was that I would be awake during the operation and that a nerve block would be used. Apparently they had problems with the block so I was put under.

I had my hand immobilized for one month. It took months of physical therapy before I could get my hand working. My pinky still doesn't curl up fully, but it is strong enough to do pull-ups, shoot a gun and handle my knives.

It was pretty expensive for the operation and PT, but in my opinion it was well worth it.

To this day I am very particular about the finger guards on my knives.

I hope that you achieve good results with your operation.

Axel
 
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