Open Access
CC BY 4.0 · Indian J Plast Surg 2025; 58(S 01): S5-S148
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1813519
Conference Abstracts

Motorcycle Bike Chain Injuries of Fingers: A DIY Hazard

Classification of Study: Case Series

Autoren

  • S. Seetharaman Selva

    1   Gleneagles Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

  • Arvind Maharaj

    1   Gleneagles Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

  • M. Srividya

    1   Gleneagles Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

  • J. Karthick

    1   Gleneagles Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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Correspondence: Selva Seetharaman S. (E-mail: drssrplastic@gmail.com)

Abstract

Background Injuries caused when attempting maintenance of motorbikes as DIY projects have been increasing for the past few years. One of the common types of these is injuries sustained to fingers while attempting to work on motorcycle chains. Motorcycle bike chain injuries are unique because of the various factors, like contamination with grease and sand, there is a component of crush amputation and partial avulsion of the digits, along with a comminuted fracture of the phalanges. This makes decision-making and reconstruction of the fingertip complicated.

Methodology This study was conducted from June 2019 to April 2014. All data are collected regarding the demographics, timing, pattern of injury, and the reconstruction modality used for the management of the injuries. In our series, we had a total of 38 patients. All the patients were all male. All patients had sustained injuries to one hand only, predominantly the dominant one. Most amputations had happened through the terminal phalanx.

Discussion All cases where the distal segment was brought were put through an assessment with the scope of replantation. The different procedures done were reimplantation in 9 patients (9 successful and 2 failures), cross-finger flaps in 10 patients, homodigital island flaps in 3 patients, V-Y advancements in 7 patients, Graft repositioning on Flap in 4 patients, primary skin suturing in 9 patients, and shortening closure in 5 patients. Statistically, we were able to either reimplant (14%) or salvage (66%) 89% of the injured fingers.

Conclusion Though motorbike chain injuries appear like poor candidates for restoration or salvage, Replantation should always be the first option. We present here the incidence of injury, the patient's profession, the time of the accident, and the injury pattern. We present an algorithm for the management of these injuries based on the nature of the injury and the infrastructure.

Keywords: DIY maintenance, crush–avulsion amputations, replantation algorithm, flap salvage, functional restoration



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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
10. November 2025

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