Cold intolerance is not more common or disabling after digital replantation than after other treatment of compound digital injuries

Cold intolerance is a common reason for disability after hand injury. In this study of posttraumatic cold intolerance, 20 patients with a history of digital replantation were matched with 20 control subjects who had not undergone replantation. The incidence and intensity of cold-related symptoms among patients in the two groups was investigated through the use of individual interviews and a grading scale for self-assessment of symptoms. The analysis of data indicates that although the pattern of symptoms may vary, the condition is neither more common nor more disabling among those who have undergone digital replantation. Cold intolerance after digital replantation seems, therefore, to be defined by the initial trauma and not by the subsequent reconstructive surgery.