hand injuries

It is hard to imagine that something we use daily for our small children could possibly hurt them. While engineers work hard to ensure safety when it comes to products for young ones, there is always a chance of a product failure that can cause pediatric injuries.Graco, one of the most trustworthy names in baby products, has issued a recall on 4.7 million strollers manufactured by the company for those in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Eleven finger injuries have been reported which include a finger laceration, four partial amputations of the fingertips, and six fingertip amputations. The cause of the hand injury is an external fold0lock hinge on the sides of the stroller that can pinch the child’s finger, hard enough that it can potentially cause amputation of the baby’s fingertips. The recall includes the following strollers by the Graco and Century brand: Aspen, Breeze, Capri, Cirrus, Glider, Kite, LiteRider, Sierra, Solara, Sterling, and Travelmate strollers manufactured between August 1, 2000, and September 25, 2014. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging those with one of these strollers to contact Graco. Free repair kits, which include hinge covers, will be available soon beginning December 2014. Fingertips are sensitive and have many nerve endings. A partial or whole fingertip amputation can damage skin, nerves, and possibly bone. Even though it is a small part of the finger, a missing piece can change how the hand works, and if not treated immediately, could likely result in deformity.If a finger or hand injuries occurs that results in amputation of the skin, the first course of action is elevate the hand and apply ice to keep the swelling down. Ice also reduces bleeding, and can help temporarily numb some of the pain. Cover the injury site in sterile gauze, and keep the hand as still as possible. If you are able to locate the amputated part, clean it with water, cover it with gauze, seal it in a bag, then put the bag in ice. Do not put the amputated piece directly in ice, it can potentially cause irreversible damage. Take the amputated part to the doctor with you. Treatment for a fingertip amputation depends on the amount of skin lost, how bad the injury is, and the wound’s angle. Small cuts, with no bone exposure may heal without surgery. If the wound is too large to heal on its own, a skin graft may be needed to cover the injured site. Injuries with the bone exposed could result in a shortening of the bone in order to cover the wound. Reconstructive flap surgery is also an option. Replantation of the amputated site is considered when the wound is very large. If you or a loved one is using one of the stroller listed above, immediately contact Graco Children’s Products at 800-345-4109 to get the hinge covers for the stroller. Even though injury risk is very low at 2.3 for every 1 million strollers, it’s never low enough for your family. Feel free to contact our pediatric sports medicine specialists at Orthopedic Surgery San Diego if you have any questions about your chil