The Usefulness of the Artificial Nail for Treatment of Fingertip Injuries

Purpose: The fingertip is the most commonly injured part of the hand and its injury frequently results in avulsion or crushing of a segment of the nail bed and fracture of the distal phalangeal bone. Restoration of a flat and smooth nail bed is essential for regrowth of a normal nail, which is important not only for cosmetic reasons but also for tactile capability of the fingertip. It is also anatomical reduction of the distal phalanx to promote patient's cosmetics and prevent nail bed deformity. Absence or no replacement of the nail plate results in obliterated proximal skin fold. When the avulsed nail plate cannot be returned to its anatomic position or when it is absent, we use a synthetic material for splinting the nail bed and alternative reductional method for distal phalangeal bone fracture, especially, instead of hardwares. Methods: From January of 2006 to June of 2009, a total of ten patients and fourteen fingers with crushing or avulsion injuries of the fingertip underwent using the artificial nails for finger splint. We shaped artificial nails into the appropriate sizes for use as fingernail plates. We placed them under the proximal skin fold and sutured to the fold proximally and to the lateral and medial edges of the nail bed or to the distal fingertip. Our splints were as hard as K-wire and other fixation methods and more similar to anatomic nail plates. Artificial nails were kept in place for at least 3 weeks. Results: No artificial nail related complication was noted in any of the ten cases. No other nail fold or nail bed complications were observed, except for minor distal nail deformity because of trauma. Conclusion: In conclusion, in order to secure the nail bed after injury and reduce the distal phalangeal bone fracture, preparing a nail bed splint from a artificial commercial nail is a cheap and effective method, especially, for crushed or avulsion injuries of the fingertip.

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