Toenail paronychia

A novel cosmetic approach for partial matricectomy in treating ingrown toenails

BACKGROUND

Toenails play a great part in protecting toes and peripheral soft tissues, simultaneously playing a cosmetic role. The ideal treatment should result in a functional and aesthetic outcome.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a novel, aesthetic and minimally invasive method to treat ingrown toenail.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 436 lesions of 395 ingrown toes in 353 patients with a mean age of 26.0 ± 13.4 (range 10-55) from June 2014 to March 2020 in our department. A novel cosmetic approach for partial matricectomy in treating ingrown toenails was undergone. The average follow-up time was 27.5 ± 2.8 months. The average period prior to work resumption, recurrence rate, and infection rate were measured. Mean pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Mean satisfaction VAS were used to evaluate the foot appearance.

RESULTS

The average period prior work resumption was 2.2 ± 2.1 days (range, 0-7 days). The recurrence rate was 1.6% (7 lesions in 6 patients) at more than 2 years of follow-up. There was no critical complication except infection (0.46%). Mean pain VAS reduced from a preoperative score of 7.7 ± 1.5 points (range, 6-10 points) to a postoperative 3-day score of 2.2 ± 1.0 points (range, 1-4 points; p < 0.001) while Mean satisfaction VAS improved from 1.5 ± 1.3 points (range, 0-3 points) to 9.2 ± 0.6 points (range, 8-10 points; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our proposed approach is minimally invasive relative to conventional methods, which can achieve comparable efficacy to treat ingrown toenails with granulation tissue. Therefore, it can serve as another option to treat this specific type of ingrown toenails.

Histopathological analysis of chronic paronychia

BACKGROUND

Chronic paronychia is an inflammatory process of the nail folds lasting more than 6 weeks. Clinically, there is hypertrophy and retraction of the folds and absence of the cuticle. Treatment involves clinical measures and, when there is no response or the hypertrophy of the folds is very pronounced, surgical treatment is indicated. Post-surgical histopathology is little studied in the literature. In this sense, we believe that the histopathological study is important not only for the individualized understanding of the patient's chronic disease, avoiding relapses, but also for the understanding of its pathophysiology and treatment possibilities.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the histopathological changes found in biopsies of the proximal nail fold of patients with chronic paronychia undergoing surgical treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A histopathological study of 16 nail folds from 6 patients after surgery was performed at 2 study centers.

RESULTS

The most prevalent epidermal findings were orthokeratosis, hypergranulosis, acanthosis and spongiosis and the dermal findings were fibrosis and mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate.

CONCLUSION

The histopathological study allowed us to conclude that chronic paronychia is primarily an inflammatory process, but it is not possible to conclude whether microorganisms such as Candida and bacterial cocci are part of the etiology or just secondary and opportunistic agents.

Optimal diagnosis and management of common nail disorders

Nail conditions are not only aesthetic concerns, and nail changes may be a clue to an underlying systemic diseases or infection. Without timely treatment, nail diseases can continue to worsen and significantly impair performance of daily activities and reduce quality of life. Examination of the nails is essential at every medical visit, and may uncover important findings. Brittle nail syndrome, onychomycosis, paronychia, nail psoriasis, longitudinal melanonychia, Beau's lines, onychomadesis and retronychia are common nail disorders seen in clinical practice. These conditions stem from infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic and traumatic aetiologies. Though each nail condition presents with its own distinct characteristics, the clinical findings may overlap between different conditions, resulting in misdiagnosis and treatment delays. Patients can present with nail plate changes (e.g. hyperkeratosis, onycholysis, pitting), discolouration, pain and inflammation. The diagnostic work-up of nail disease should include a detailed history and clinical examination of all 20 nail units. Dermoscopy, diagnostic imaging and histopathologic and mycological analyses may be necessary for diagnosis. Nail findings concerning for malignancy should be promptly referred to a dermatologist for evaluation and biopsy. Nail disease management requires a targeted treatment approach. Treatments include topical and/or systemic medications, discontinuation of offending drugs or surgical intervention, depending on the condition. Patient education on proper nail care and techniques to minimize further damage to the affected nails is also important. This article serves to enhance familiarity of the most common nail disorders seen in clinical practice. It will highlight the key clinical manifestations, systematic approaches to diagnosis and treatment options for each nail condition to improve diagnosis and management of nail diseases, as well as patient outcomes.Key messagesNail disease is not only a cosmetic issue, as nail changes can indicate the presence of a serious underlying systemic disease, infection or malignancy.Nail pain and changes associated with NP are physically and emotionally distressing and may contribute to functional impairment and diminished quality of life.LM is a hallmark sign of subungual melanoma and this finding warrants further investigation to rule out malignancy.

Cross-Sectional Analysis of Paronychias in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System 1999–2018

Introduction

Paronychia is the most common hand infection. Prior paronychia studies were limited by small patient numbers. We conducted a national-level analysis over two decades, analyzing demographics, etiologies, and trends in paronychia cases.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of paronychia cases in the 1999–2018 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database. Sex, race, age, and cause were recorded and compared using χ², ANOVA, and t tests. Multivariable linear regression analysis assessed changes in age, weight, and sex over time.

Results

We analyzed a total of 2,512 cases, with an average age of 27.6 ± 20.6 years, 45.5% females, and 25.6% white and 28.6% black patients. In multivariable linear regression, both age and weight significantly increased over time. Manicuring was the most common etiology (30.9%), increasing in incidence over time and with a higher frequency in adults (p < 0.0001) and females (p < 0.0001). There was a significant decrease in pediatric paronychia cases over time, particularly in 0- to 4-year-olds. Possible limitations include missed paronychia cases or additional non-paronychia cases due to improper coding, infrequent race reporting, and inability to analyze treatments or distinguish between paronychia subtypes.

Conclusions

Paronychia cases were associated with increased age and weight over time with different presentations by age. Manicuring represents the largest growing paronychia etiology.

Imbalanced Dermic Microbiome Aggravates Inflammation in Toenail Paronychia

The commensal microbiome influences skin immunity, but its function in toenail health remains unclear. Paronychia is one of the most common inflammatory toenail diseases, but antibiotic treatment is seldom effective in clinical cases. In this study, we performed 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate the characteristics of microbes associated with paronychia in order to identify the key microorganisms involved in inflammation. Seventy dermic samples were collected from patients with paronychia and the differences in dermic microbiota were analyzed in patients with different inflammation severities. Distinct clustering of dermal microbiota was observed in the dermis with different inflammation severities. A higher relative abundance of anaerobic microorganisms such as Parvimona, Prevotella, and Peptoniphilus was observed in severe paronychia, whereas Lactobacillus disappeared with disease progression. Co-occurring network analysis suggested that the disturbance of the dermic microbiome and attenuation of antagonism by Lactobacillus against anaerobic pathogens may aggravate inflammation in paronychia. Functional analysis showed that dermic microbiome disturbance may worsen microbial metabolism and tissue repair in the skin. In conclusion, we revealed that an increased abundance of anaerobic microorganisms and loss of Lactobacillus in the dermis may promote paronychia progression and microbiological imbalance may aggravate inflammation in patients with paronychia.

Conservative management of a severe case of onychocryptosis at a podiatric clinic-A case report

BACKGROUND

Onychocryptosis, also known as ingrown toenails or ungues incarnati, is a fairly frequent condition, with global prevalence of approximately 20%.

OBJECTIVES

This study is aimed at discussing possible conservative management of severe onychocryptosis, with a case report.

METHODS

Conservative approach is effective in reducing or even entirely correcting underlying nail deformities. Eliminating nail fold inflammation is necessary prior to the bracing procedure. The non-surgical approach combined with proper wound treatment of the involved nail folds is a promising alternative for a growing number of patients.

RESULTS

Nail plate deformities may be largely corrected or fully eliminated. As demonstrated by our case report, even advanced stages of onychocryptosis may be effectively treated with nonsurgical modalities.

CONCLUSION

Proper podiatric care facilitates conservative approach to management of ingrown toenails, improving the patient's overall wellbeing and eliminating pain. The prerequisite for nonsurgical correction of the nail plate is treating inflammation first. Conservative correction is more aesthetically pleasing and less emotionally disturbing to the patients than partial or complete surgical avulsion. Lesser invasiveness is an advantage especially in the case of patients with chronic comorbidities.

Nail health in women

Healthy nails are functionally and cosmetically important to the daily work of women. The globally increasing market for nail cosmetics reflects the importance of the appearance of nails. This article details the composition of a healthy nail, diagnosis and treatment of nail disorders, use of nail cosmetics and their risks, the impact of the aging process on nails, and the relative risks to nail salon workers. Knowledge of these issues will prepare health care providers and patients to maintain healthy nails throughout their lives.

Podiatric Adverse Events and Foot Care in Cancer Patients and Survivors Awareness, Education, and Literature Review

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Recent improved therapies have resulted in more patients surviving cancer and living longer. Despite these advances, the majority of patients will develop adverse events from anticancer therapies. Foot alterations, including nail toxicities, hand-foot syndrome, edema, xerosis, hyperkeratosis, and neuropathy, are frequent among cancer patients. These untoward conditions may negatively impact quality of life, and in some cases may result in the interruption or discontinuation of cancer treatments. Appropriate prevention, diagnosis, and management of podiatric adverse events are essential to maintain foot function and health-related quality of life, both of which are critical for the care of cancer patients and survivors. This article shows results related to complaint and impact on quality of life of the Oncology Foot Care program and reviews publications specific to podiatric adverse events related to cancer treatments.