"Full of Twists and Turns, Lost and Regained, the Best of Both Worlds"

Zhao Yu (a pseudonym), a 34-year-old man, said:

These past four months have been an experienceas thrilling as a roller coaster.My biggest takeaway: I am incredibly lucky.

(Before treatment / after reconstruction)

After the distal segment of his thumb was severed, he rushed to Zhengzhou Renji Hospital in an emergency. Because the severed part could not be found, he faced the prospect of a permanent deformity. Although replantation was no longer possible, there was a remedial solution. Through micro-aesthetic reconstruction and repair techniques, after more than four months he regained a complete thumb.

Full of Twists and Turns
Accidental injury → the severed part could not be found → facing deformity

Zhao Yu said: At the time of the accident, he was concentrating on his work when the tip of his left thumb was instantaneously sliced off by a machine. Stunned by the sudden mishap, he didn't even feel any pain and thought it was just a minor injury. He quickly squeezed his left thumb, and only with a colleague's reminder and accompaniment did he hurry to Zhengzhou Renji Hospital.

Vice President Wu Zhaosen, who received him, examined the wound and asked: "Where is the severed part?" Only then did Zhao Yu suddenly realize that, in his panic, he had never gone looking for it. President Wu said: "For the severed part, the best window for replantation is 6–8 hours. You arrived in time, and the injury site isn't far from the hospital. I suggest going back to look for it — if you can find it, there may still be a chance for replantation…"

(Image: After the injury, the severed part could not be found)

His colleagues hurried back to search. Because the accident site had a lot of debris and metal shavings scattered on the ground, several colleagues searched for over two hours but still couldn't find it. When he heard the result — "not found" — Zhao Yu said his heart "sank." Was this going to leave me deformed? He thought to himself: My family depends on my income, and my daily work requires operating machines. If the distal segment of my left thumb is missing, it will severely affect my job. For a moment, I was overcome with despair.

Just as his thoughts spiraled, President Wu's voice broke through: "If it could be found, replantation would be the best option. Since it wasn't found, there is still a remedy — through micro-aesthetic repair techniques, we can take part of a toe to reconstruct the thumb and avoid the deformity…"

After careful consideration, Zhao Yu chose reconstruction.

Lost and Regained
Micro-aesthetic repair technique — regaining a complete thumb!

After completing the preoperative examinations, President Wu led his team in successfully performing the micro-aesthetic reconstruction surgery for Zhao Yu. During the operation, based on the size and shape of the missing segment, they precisely designed and harvested a portion of the big toe, then used it to repair and reconstruct the missing thumb.

(Image: Micro-aesthetic reconstruction — immediate post-op)

[President Wu said:]"Zhao Yu is very fortunate. The missing segment was relatively small, so the harvested portion was also small, and the basic shape of the big toe was preserved. The reconstructed thumb also looks more natural and aesthetically pleasing…"

After the successful surgery, Zhao Yu returned home to recover, and maintained ongoing contact with President Wu and the Reconstructive Surgery team, who provided timely online guidance. More than four months later, he returned for a follow-up. When he extended both hands, the two thumbs looked essentially identical — no one could tell the left thumb's distal segment had been reconstructed. The medical team marveled: "If we hadn't performed the surgery and cared for him ourselves, we'd probably think this was a normal thumb."

(Image: 4+ months post-op follow-up — the reconstructed distal thumb segment has a natural, attractive appearance and good function)

Zhao Yu also said: "The people around me all thought I had a normal thumb — not a single person asked about any difference in my finger. I'm so happy, and so grateful. Thank you, President Wu and the whole team, for letting me regain what was lost and have a complete thumb again."

The Best of Both Worlds
The distal thumb and the big toe — you can basically have both!

In the Reconstructive Surgery clinic, we often meet patients consulting about reconstruction. Their biggest concern is: "If you use a toe to reconstruct a finger, won't the toe then be missing? We want a solution that can both rebuild the finger and preserve the toe…"

[President Wu said:]The reconstruction surgery is performed in two teams. Throughout the process of finger reconstruction, through the research and innovation of generation after generation of pioneers, many methods were developed. After standing the test of time, the method now universally recognized by the medical community is toe transplantation for finger reconstruction. Colleagues in this field continue to optimize and innovate upon this method.

As the academic leader of Renji · Reconstructive Surgery, President Wu and his team combine 3D printing technology, microsurgery, and plastic-aesthetic techniques to achieve the effect of "repair exactly what is missing" — precise, fine reconstruction. With the aid of 3D printing, truly accurate and meticulous reconstruction is realized.

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A tertiary hospital with over 20 years of history. What we reconstruct is just a small finger — but what you regain is the social confidence to extend your hand freely, and the assurance to work flexibly and without limitation. If you are troubled by the loss of a finger, come try Renji · Reconstructive Surgery. Regaining a complete finger is within your reach.