Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2021 Dec 15;13(12):e20425.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.20425. eCollection 2021 Dec.

A Stiff Finger: A "Concrete" Diagnosis

Affiliations
Case Reports

A Stiff Finger: A "Concrete" Diagnosis

Laura Bateman et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

High-pressure injection injuries of the hand are uncommon but are associated with significant morbidity and require urgent surgical intervention. We describe a case of high-pressure injection of cement into the digit of a male patient while using an airless spray gun. We outline the initial assessment and surgical intervention, patient counselling regarding definitive management, and long-term outcomes of his injury. We also discuss mechanisms of high-pressure injection injuries, reconstructive options, and present a review of outcomes in patients sustaining similar injuries.

Keywords: airless spray gun; concrete injection; hand trauma; high-pressure injection; reconstructive surgery.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Volar surface of left ring finger at presentation
Figure 2
Figure 2. Hardened concrete within the subcutaneous tissues of the ring finger
Figure 3
Figure 3. Ring finger post-debridement showing exposed flexor apparatus
Figure 4
Figure 4. Cross-finger flap from the dorsum of the middle finger used to cover the volar defect of the ring finger
Figure 5
Figure 5. Postoperative photos at 18 months in full extension (A) and full flexion to make a fist (B)

References

    1. High-pressure injection injuries to the upper extremity: a review of the literature. Hogan CJ, Ruland RT. J Orthop Trauma. 2006;20:503–511. - PubMed
    1. High-pressure injection injury: a case report and systematic review. Eells AC, McRae M, Buntic RF, et al. Case Reports Plast Surg Hand Surg. 2019;6:153–158. - PMC - PubMed
    1. High-pressure injection injury of the hand: an often underestimated trauma: case report with study of the literature. Verhoeven N, Hierner R. Strategies Trauma Limb Reconstr. 2008;3:27–33. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Long-term follow-up of high-pressure injection injuries to the hand. Wieder A, Lapid O, Plakht Y, Sagi A. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2006;117:186–189. - PubMed
    1. Wei DH, Strauch RJ. Fingertip Injuries: Diagnosis, Management and Reconstruction. Vol. 1. Cham, Switzerland: Springer, Cham; 2015. High pressure injection injuries; pp. 73–81.

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources