In a groundbreaking achievement in the field of reconstructive microsurgery in Lebanon and the
Levant, the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) successfully conducted the first
proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint reconstruction surgery on a damaged ring finger. The surgery was
performed by AUBMC's team of highly skilled surgeons, led by Dr. Joseph Bakhach, president of the
Lebanese Health Orders President Association (HOPA) and a renowned plastic and reconstructive
surgeon specialized in hand and microsurgery at the Department of Surgery.
The patient had suffered from trauma to the right middle and ring fingers due to a motor vehicle
accident. The main joint of the patient’s ring finger was completely destroyed, leading to an impaired
function of the total hand.
During the procedure, the principal joint of the patient’s right ring finger was reconstructed using the
same joint from the toe with microsurgical connection of the vascular pedicles. Harvested with the
tendons and the nourishing vessels, this small joint was transferred and fixed, re-establishing its
normal blood supply. The surgery was particularly challenging due to the extremely small diameter of
the vessels involved and, the small size of the joint and structures transferred requiring high precision
and skill. “Unlike traditional procedures, this intricate hand surgery effectively restores function,
mobility and shape, making it an optimal treatment option for severely impaired fingers,” said
Bakhach.
Dr. Jamal Hoballah, the chairperson of the Department of Surgery, commended the effort, saying,
“Our Department of Surgery, which includes over 40 experienced and dedicated surgeons, continues
to provide a wide spectrum of simple and complex cutting-edge surgical procedures with outcomes
that match those achieved in the best international centers."
This successful hand surgery attests to the outstanding capabilities and expertise of AUBMC's hand
trauma surgeons who are continuously committed to integrating the latest techniques in their surgical
practice. This trailblazing achievement will pave the way to the establishment of the Hand Surgery
Center of Excellence at AUBMC, the first center of its kind in Lebanon and the region to better serve
the community and the patients.