JEDDAH, 23 May 2007 — A unique surgery was performed at Saudi German Hospital, which saved the right index finger of a three-year-old Saudi child, the hospital reported yesterday.
The boy had lost his fingertip by crushing his finger when the door of the car in which he was to travel got accidentally closed. He was immediately transferred to the emergency room where doctors took initial measures. The child was then moved to the operating room.
Dr. Metwally Shaheen, head of hand surgery unit and fellow of the UK-based Royal College of Surgery, performed the delicate operation. “I made a skin flap from the middle finger and separated the two fingers. Two weeks later, the child regained full function and shape of his index finger,” Dr. Shaheen said.
“Such hand injuries are considered the most common among children and parents should take extra care to avoid such accidents,” he added.