It's rather unusual to have sever gout attack in the little finger, especially you are so young. My suggestion is: see a rheumatologist and have the problem joint fluid tested for the gout culprit: monosodium urate crystals. If you have gout, the proper treatment should reduce the swelling without a surgery. More gout info can be found at http://www.Icuredmygout.Org . Good luck.

Jyy2:
maybe I wasn't clear in my first post. I'm not a 20yr. Old with gout, i'm 45 and a 20 year veteran of gout. I've been through 10 years of limping (gout in the feet) then it attacked my knees and elbows, (drained numerous times, tested and confirmed gout) both bursa sacs in my elbows have been surgically removed due to gout. I can not begin to count the number of cortazone shots i've had in my knees and hands. I'm pretty damn sure I gots the gout. My question was: can a gout attack in the little finger ( to the point of grotesque swelling and discoloration black-blue-purple) result in enough tissue damage to necessitate the debridement of the affected tissue. But hey' thanks for the concern.
Ub

Built up of tophi (msu crystals) around the joints can eventually damage the bones and soft tissues around the joints, including the little finger joints. I strongly suggest that you see a rheumatologist. Good luck.

Jyy2
the last five years of allopurinol 300mg/day have pretty much taken care of the tophi. My rheumatalogist says I have minor bone loss in some joints. She calls them "rat bites". What I really need to know is: can gout (as formerly described) cause an abcess? And would the affected digit have to be cut open and have tissue surgically removed to "save" the finger?
Ub

I have not read that gout can cause abscess and if so how to deal with it. I assume your rheumatologist or hand surgeon has the answers. Take care.