Replantation refers to the surgical reattachment of a body part (such as a finger, hand, or toe) that has been completely cut from the body. The goal of replantation surgery is to give the patient back as much use of the injured area as possible.
Sometimes, replantation of a lost body part is not possible because the part is too damaged. If the lost part cannot be reattached, a patient may have to use a prosthesis, a device that substitutes for a missing part of the body. In some cases, a prosthesis may give a person without hands or arms the ability to function. Replantation is usually recommended when the replanted part will work at least as well as a prosthesis. For  example, a surgeon would not replant a missing hand knowing that it would not work, be painful, or get in the way of the patient’s everyday activities. Before surgery, the doctor will explain the procedure and how much function is likely to return following replantation. The patient or family member must decide whether the regain of use of the body part justifies the long and difficult operation, time in the hospital, and months or years of rehabilitation.

Microsurgery Procedure

     To successfully replant a lost finger, the surgeon must repair arteries, nerves, muscles, and tendons. There are a number of steps in the replantation process. First, damaged tissue is carefully removed. Then, bone ends are trimmed before they are rejoined. This makes putting together the soft tissue on either side of the wound easier. Arteries, veins, nerves, muscles, and tendons are stitched together. Uncovered nerves, tendons, and joints may be covered by a free-tissue transfer, where a piece of tissue is removed from another part of the body, along with its arteries and veins. Finally, areas without skin are covered with skin that has been taken from other areas of the body.