# Enhancing Healing with Noncontact Low-Frequency Ultrasound in Fingertip Amputation Treatment: A Comparative Pilot Study

## TL;DR

This pilot study explores noncontact low-frequency ultrasound as a treatment for fingertip amputations, showing faster healing times compared to standard wound care.

## Contribution

The study introduces noncontact low-frequency ultrasound as a novel adjunctive therapy for healing fingertip amputations.

## Key findings

- NCLF-US treated wounds healed in 34.4 days versus 49.2 days with local wound care alone.
- NCLF-US cohort had larger initial wounds but faster healing rates (0.112 days/mm² vs 1.038 days/mm²).
- No significant differences in demographics or diabetes history between treatment groups.

## Abstract

Acute traumatic fingertip amputations are common injuries. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of noncontact low-frequency ultrasound (NCLF-US) as adjunctive therapy for treatment of fingertip amputations.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on adult patients with an acute traumatic fingertip amputation without exposed bone between February 2022 and April 2023. Exclusions included vascular disease, active infection, surgical intervention, primary closure, or subsequent trauma. Patients received either NCLF-US therapy combined with local wound care or local wound care alone (LWCA). Data collected included age, sex assigned at birth, history of diabetes, and injury dimensions. Data were used to assess cohort demographics, injury characteristics, and clinical course. Nominal and continuous variables were analyzed using Fisher exact test and Student t test, respectively, with statistical significance set at P ≤ .05.

Among 19 digits, nine were treated with NCLF-US, and ten received LWCA. There was no considerable difference between cohorts in terms of age, sex, or history of diabetes. The NCLF-US cohort presented with an average wound size of 434.7 mm2 compared to the LWCA cohort at 123.0 mm2. Total time to healing in the NCLF-US cohort was 34.4 days compared to 49.2 days in the LWCA cohort. Healing rates for NCLF-US were 0.112 days/mm2 compared to LWCA at 1.038 days/mm2.

The NCLF-US cohort exhibited larger initial fingertip amputations, while demonstrating a time to healing nine times faster than those treated solely with local wound care. These findings are encouraging and offer initial support for the consideration of NCLF-US as an adjunctive therapy for treatment of fingertip amputations.

Therapeutic IV.