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NailsMucous Membranes (Oral)


Nail Diseases
 

General Points

  • Damage to the nail as a result of trauma or disease results in nail dystrophy
  • This is defined as the presence of a misshapen or partially destroyed nail plate
  • Soft yellow keratin often accumulates between the dystrophic nail plate, resulting in elevation of the plate


Fungus and Dermatophytes
Fungus and Dermatophytes

Onychomycosis
Onychomycosis

Onychomycosis
Onychomycosis


Onychomycosis
  • Fungal infection is an extremely common cause of toenail dystrophy
  • Great toenail is extremely prone to infection
  • Infection of fingernails may occur in nails previously traumatized or when nail involvement is part of tinea mannum
  • Onycholysis: separation of nail plate from nail bed
  • Subungual hyperkeratosis: buildup of soft yellow keratin in the space created by the onycholysis, usually asymptomatic
  • Most due to Trichophyton rubrum, but in a few cases, Epidermyophyton floccosum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes may be recovered. Diagnosis can be made by culture
  • Treatment is terbenafine or itraconazole orally


Psoriasis
Psoriasis

Psoriasis
Psoriasis

 

 

 

 


Psoriasis

  • Onycholysis, subungual hyperkeratosis, nail pitting, yellowish discoloration
  • More serious nail dystrophies are often accompanied by inflammatory, arthritic changes in the distal interphalangeal joint
  • Extremely difficult to treat

Psoriasis
Psoriasis

Psoriasis
Psoriasis

Psoriasis
Psoriasis

Nail pitting of psoriasis
Nail pitting of psoriasis


Beau's Grooves
Beau's Grooves


Beau's Grooves

  • 1 mm wide depression in the nail plate that extends horizontally from one lateral nail groove to the other
  • All nails are simultaneously affected
  • Most commonly develop following dramatic illness such as MI and periods of high fever or malnutrition

Clubbing
Clubbing

Clubbing
Clubbing

Clubbing

  • Lovibond’s angle greater than 180 degrees, most commonly seen with chronic pulmonary or cardiopulmonary disease but also occurs with some tumors, especially those of the lung parenchyma

 

Periungual Warts

  • Often distort the nail plate
  • In most instances, the dystrophy is not permanent and the nail plate returns to normal following therapeutic or spontaneous resolution of the warts

White banding of nails
White banding of nails

White banding of nails

  • Horizontal white banding or opacification occurs in hypoalbuminemia accompanying chronic hepatic or renal disease

 

Brown banding of nails

  • Vertical - secondary to nevus or melanoma
  • Horizontal - Addison's disease, cancer chemotherapy

 

Splinter hemorrhages
Splinter hemorrhages

Splinter hemorrhages

  • Thin dark red lines 1-3 mm in length, representing small hemorrhages at the junction of the nail plate and the nail bed. They move out as the nail grows.
  • Seen with bacterial endocarditis, trichinosis, but frequently seen in normal individuals

Paronychias and Candida
Paronychias and Candida

Candidal Paronychia

  • Most common cause of paronychial inflammation and swelling of the fingers
  • Seen in dishwashers, bartenders and waitresses
  • Characterized by lack of pain, lack of warmth, absence of pus, chronicity

  

Staphylococcal paronychia
Staphylococcal paronychia

Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas

Bacterial Paronychia

  • Usually caused by Staphylococcus
  • Redness, warmth, swelling and tenderness

  

Koilonychia
Koilonychia

Koilonychia

  • Spoon-shapd nails may be due to iron deficiency

 

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