Service
Hand injuries — infected finger, puncture wound, fingertip, fractures
A felon (panaritium) is a purulent infection of the tip of the finger that throbs and does not let you sleep; it is opened and drained. An injured fingertip is reconstructed with a local flap. Fractures of the bones of the hand and removal of osteosynthesis hardware (plates, wires) are planned individually.
What concerns does it address?
Infected finger (felon) and puncture wound
A felon most often starts small — a sore beside the nail, a puncture, damage to the skin during a manicure — and bacteria enter under the skin through that opening. The finger is built tightly and has no room for spread, so pus that has nowhere to go quickly raises the pressure in the tissue: swelling, redness, taut skin and a pain that throbs and wakes you at night. The inflammation can involve only the skin and the tissue just beneath it, but also the tendon sheath, a joint or bone — depending on how deep it has gone. That is why we do not wait.
In the first hours warm baths, antiseptic dressings and an antibiotic sometimes help. If it is not better within a short time, the infection is opened surgically: the pus-filled cavity is opened, rinsed and emptied, so the pressure falls at once and the pain eases. The wound is not stitched but left partly open to drain, with dressing changes every two to three days and sterile dressings. With a deep felon, when a tendon or bone is involved, the procedure is more extensive and is done under magnification, to preserve the small structures of the finger.
The earlier a felon is opened, the less damage: an inflammation treated late leaves a stiff finger, a damaged tendon or a changed nail.
Fingertip
When the tip of the finger is injured — crushed, cut off — the missing tissue is replaced with a local flap from the neighbouring part of the finger, to preserve sensation and shape.
Fractures and osteosynthesis
A fracture of the bones of the hand (metacarpal bones) and removal of plates or wires after an earlier operation are planned individually; the price is on request or in the price list. Syndactyly (fused fingers) is also planned individually.
When is the procedure not suitable?
With a felon the rule is the opposite of other procedures: active inflammation is not a reason to postpone but a reason for an urgent procedure. The only thing postponed is reconstruction of the fingertip, until the wound is clean. With diabetes and medicines that weaken the immune system, inflammation of the finger progresses faster, so get in touch earlier.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (pregnancy, breastfeeding, inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Risks
Occasional — stiffness of the finger that needs exercises, reduced sensation at the tip of the finger, slower healing of the open wound, a permanent change in the nail if the inflammation was beside the nail root.
Rare — spread of the inflammation to the tendon sheath, a joint or bone, which needs a larger procedure and antibiotics; loss of part of the tissue when treatment was delayed for a long time.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Surgery for a felon or an insect sting | €700–1,200 |
| Fingertip reconstruction | €400–600 |
| Local finger flap | €300–400 |
| Removal of osteosynthesis hardware | €800–1,000 |
| Surgery for a fracture of the metacarpal bones | on request |
| Syndactyly | on request |
| Primary treatment of a smaller wound | €200–300 |
| Primary treatment of a larger wound | €400–600 |
Specialist and team
Specialty: general surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
Frequently asked questions
When is a felon urgent? When the finger throbs, is red, taut and painful at night — it should be opened as soon as possible, without waiting for the weekend or for it to “ripen”. Pus in a finger has nowhere to go, so the pressure damages the tissue hour by hour.
Why is the wound not stitched? So the pus can drain. A stitched inflamed wound would hold in its contents and the inflammation would return. The wound closes by itself in one to two weeks, with dressing changes.
What about inflammation beside the nail? An inflammation beside the root or edge of the nail (paronychia) is also opened; sometimes part of the nail is removed so the pus can come out. In most people the nail grows back normally; if the inflammation involved the root, it may stay changed.
When can I use my hand for work? Lighter work straight away, with a bandage; heavier and wet work once the wound has closed.
Will the fingertip have sensation? A local flap preserves sensation better than a skin graft; full sensation returns over weeks to months. In planning, your dominant hand and the work you do are taken into account.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.