The IV-3000 Dressing: A Conservative Treatment for Fingertip Injury

Fingertip injuries restricted to the distal phalanx are traditionally treated with surgical flap or grafting techniques. However, methods of treatment may be lacking for patients who are not ideal surgical candidates. In our experience, such patients can be treated conservatively with the IV-3000 (Smith and Nephew) semipermeable dressing, a ubiquitous medical supply. The dressing allows for outpatient management of fingertip wounds while yielding results that are excellent in terms of aesthetics and preserved digit function. This simple, original protocol involves creating a sandwich of two adhesive IV-3000 patches around the digit, and patients can reapply the dressing at home every three to four days. The dressing allows the fingertip to heal by secondary intention, creating a wound microenvironment with the ideal rate of moisture transmission and limited re-traumatization. This case series presents fifteen examples of fingertip injuries treated with the conservative protocol without complications. Patients show significant re-epithelization in as little as two weeks and may be fully healed by six to twelve weeks. In conclusion, the IV-3000 wound management protocol is an excellent option for patients unsuited to surgical treatment of fingertip wounds, and it may be easily implemented by plastic surgeons in their daily clinical practice.