Direct and indirect costs in hand amputations caused by laboral accidents

Introduction
Hand injuries by labor accidents are first rank. It is necessary a multidisciplinary medical approach and frequently generate temporary and permanent disabilities that affect costs to the institution and to the enterprise.

Methods
An observational study was performed. The data was obtained from laboral injuries with amputation of a finger or hand that received a multidisciplinary management. The costs were calculated according to the list of Institutional Unit Costs. The IC were obtained with the “safety pays” program.

Results
We included 48 cases. The average age was 32.17 years; the cost of surgical operations was $767 470; and the payment of a partial disability permanent was $1 032 670; the DC of the sample of 48 workers was $ 2 955 007 with an IC of $3 250 507 and a total cost of $6 205 515, the average cost per worker of $51 741 for DC, $56 915 for IC and $108 657 for the total cost.

Discussion
The cost and severity of amputations labor force to create prevention programs involving the worker, the employer and to government agencies.