Ring avulsion injury

Background

  • Sudden pull on a ring results in severe soft tissue avulsion injury
    • Can range from circumferential soft tissue laceration to complete amputation
    • Often with concomitant neurovascular damage

Clinical Features

  • Typically only one digit involved
  • History of working with machinery or getting digit caught in door
  • Pain, bleeding, lack of sensation

Classes of Injury[1]

Based on circulatory status

  • Class I: Circulation adequate
  • Class II: Circulation inadequate
  • Class III: Complete degloving or complete amputation

Differential Diagnosis

Hand and finger injuries

Extremity trauma

Evaluation

  • Hand exam
    • Assess for distal neurovascular function
  • Dedicated digit x-ray

Management

Disposition

  • Admit

See Also

External Links

References

  1. Jones M, Gujral S. Ring Avulsion Injuries. Eplasty. 2016;16:ic5.