Patient EducationInjuries to the toes and fingers are common, and we treat a lot of these conditions in our office. Sports, home accidents, power tools, work benches, car doors, and heavy furniture all can cause injuries to the nail. Shoes can be protective for the toes, but often times we do not wear boots or shoes for convenience sake. Nails grow along the nail bed. New nails are manufactured from the germinal layer. If the germinal layer is damaged, the nail will not grow. If the nail bed itself is torn or lacerated, the nail will not grow beyond the laceration. It is therefore very important to recognize when a laceration to the nail bed has occurred. A high index of suspicion is required. A cut through the nail itself suggests a laceration. Fractures to the distal tufts of the fingers or toe are often times associated with a nail bed laceration. The more displaced the fracture, the more likely the nail bed has been damaged. The presence of blood underneath the nail is also strongly suggestive of nail bed laceration. Dr. Paul Lesko, M.D.
|
Medical Resource Links:
