Don't look at your phone while walking! 16-year-old boy's toe completely severed after kicking a stone

Recently, a routine late-night snack run turned into a heart-stopping accident for 16-year-old Dongdong (a pseudonym). That night, Dongdong went out wearing flip-flops to buy a snack. On the way back, carrying the takeout in one hand and having a video call on his phone with a friend in the other, he accidentally kicked a sharp stone on the roadside, resulting in the complete amputation of the second toe on his right foot. After emergency treatment by a team of doctors, the severed toe was successfully replanted and is currently recovering well. Doctors warn: do not be distracted by your phone while walking, to avoid causing irreparable harm.

Teenager on Video Call While Walking, Kicks Stone and "Loses" Toe

The incident happened after 10 PM, with rain still falling in Guangzhou, leaving the road surface slippery. Wearing flip-flops, 16-year-old Dongdong went out with a friend to buy a late-night snack. On the return trip, carrying the packed snack in one hand and his phone for a video call in the other, he paid no attention to the road conditions underfoot throughout the journey. Suddenly, his right foot kicked hard against a roadside stone. Feeling some pain, Dongdong turned on his flashlight and looked down: "The second toe was almost completely severed, hanging by just a thread." Intense pain struck instantly, and blood soon stained the ground red.

His friend immediately took him to a nearby hospital. Due to the severity of the injury, after being transferred between two hospitals, Dongdong was urgently sent to Guangzhou Heping Orthopaedic Hospital.

"Threading the Needle" Under the Microscope: Severed Toe Successfully Replanted

Upon arrival at the hospital, it was already 00:25 midnight. "When the patient arrived, the distal phalanx of the right second toe was completely severed, connected by only a single nerve. The amputated toe was pale, shrunken, and cold, and the wound had significant contusion," recalled Director Chen Longfeng of the Trauma and Microsurgery Department.

The golden time for toe replantation is generally within 6-8 hours after injury. Time is of the essence. Director Chen Longfeng's team immediately performed emergency surgery on Dongdong. During the operation, the team first performed thorough debridement of the wound, then proceeded with meticulous toe replantation under a microscope, carefully anastomosing blood vessels, nerves, and tendons. Due to a 1.5cm defect in the proper digital artery after debridement, preventing direct anastomosis, the team harvested a venous flap from the dorsum of the foot for bridging transplantation, reconstructing the "lifeline" for the severed toe. The entire surgery was like "threading a needle" on blood vessels as fine as hair, requiring extreme concentration and precision with every step. After more than two hours of intense effort, the severed toe was successfully reattached. Currently, Dongdong's replanted toe appears ruddy and is recovering well.

Expert Reminder: Walking While Looking at Your Phone is Risky; Walk Properly

"Such an accident could have been completely avoided," said Director Chen Longfeng. He noted that Dongdong's case is not an isolated one. In recent years, injuries caused by walking while looking at a phone have been frequent, ranging from minor bumps and scrapes to fractures and limb amputations. He explained that looking at a phone while walking divides attention and reduces the ability to judge road obstacles and changing conditions, especially in poor visibility environments like at night or on rainy days, where the risk increases significantly.

Director Chen Longfeng specifically reminds the public: when walking, be sure to put down the phone and concentrate on observing the road conditions; on rainy days, try to wear shoes with good anti-slip properties and avoid shoes like flip-flops that are prone to slipping; if an unfortunate accident like a limb amputation occurs, stay calm, wrap the amputated part in clean gauze, place it in a sealed plastic bag, and then put it in a container with ice for cold storage. Avoid direct contact with ice or immersion in water or alcohol. At the same time, get to a hospital with microsurgical replantation capabilities as soon as possible to seize the "golden time" for treatment.

Text | Reporter Chen Hui Correspondent Li Mei
Article Source | Yangcheng Evening News APP