Human bites of the hand: a study of one hundred six patients.

One hundred six patients with human bites of the hand (HBH) were studied in detail. This study was characterized by a higher than expected incidence among women, by a large number of patients who presented for treatment more than 1 week after injury, and by a high complication rate and a low incidence of hospitalization. The overall morbidity rate of these patients was considerable. Early and delayed cases of HBH were typified by an absence of complications. Except for partial or complete traumatic amputations, their recovery time was short, and the final functional result was usually favorable. Late cases were characterized by a high rate of infection-related complications, a prolonged morbidity period, and a less favorable final functional result. One hundred of our patients were successfully treated as outpatients. This led us to believe that most HBH can be treated on an outpatient basis. Hospitalization should be mainly reserved for patients with infection-related complications and for extremely unreliable patients. The time interval between injury and the commencement of treatment appears to be the single most important factor governing the final result in HBH.