Allen used a classification for amputations involving the fingertip. This can be used to compare patients for severity of injury and therapeutic outcome. The author is from the Leicestershire Royal Infirmary.
Anatomic Site for Amputation
Type
distal to fingernail tip
I
distal to tip of distal phalanx (involves distalmost nail bed)
II
distal to mid-distal phalanx
III
distal to distal PIP joint (entire distal phalanx)
IV
from Figure 2, page 258
where:
• In Figure 2, type III appears to be distal to the apex of the lunule in the fingernail. However, the lunule may be indistinct or absent and so may be an unreliable landmark.
Mechanism of injury:
(1) crushing (designated "c")
(2) clean amputation (designated "a")
where:
• In the implementation I added a category "m" for mixed mechanism of injury.
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