Sugat Jawade; Bhushan Madke; Adarshlata Singh; Samiksha Chavhan
Abstract
An ectopic nail is an extremely infrequent disorder, also known as onychoheterotopia. Onychoheterotopia can present congenitally as well as in acquired form, although the acquired form is a rare occurrence. Ohya et al. first described the congenital ectopic nail in 1931. The growth of tissue resembling ...
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An ectopic nail is an extremely infrequent disorder, also known as onychoheterotopia. Onychoheterotopia can present congenitally as well as in acquired form, although the acquired form is a rare occurrence. Ohya et al. first described the congenital ectopic nail in 1931. The growth of tissue resembling nails at sites different from the nail bed is characteristic of this condition. Acquired type or post-traumatic ectopic nail has been postulated to be due to acute or repeated trauma to the nail unit followed by transfer and inoculation of the nail matrix at another site. A posttraumatic ectopic nail is rare and unusual, making its diagnosis and management important. Histopathological correlation is necessary to confirm the diagnosis and differentiate it from other nail conditions. Here, a classic case of a post-traumatic ectopic nail in the left little finger in a male laborer following a cut injury is reported. The ectopic nail had horizontal growth and was approximately 5 × 3 mm in size and 1 cm away from the normal nail. After surgical resection and biopsy of the resected part, it was successfully diagnosed as a nail of ectopic origin. This is a rare case of a post-traumatic ectopic nail on the little finger with horizontal growth away from the normal nail.
