Korean J Dermatol.  1978 Dec;16(6):429-433.

The Punch Method to Detect The Causative Organisms of Onychomycosis

• Lee KS
• Suh SB

Abstract

Onychomycosis can be diagnosed by mycological examination, but it is not easy to detect its causative organisms because the positive rate of culture is lower and its scores are variable due to the contamination inherently introduced in the current method used in sampling the ovychomycosis organisms. It was suggested that the scores depended upon the handicraft of operates and the gainning method of nail material, so we modeled the watch mending drivers into the punching instruments, and holed deeply & widly through the nail plate, from the surface to the bottom. Afterward, the KOH mount & culture were performed to compare this new punch method used with that of standard scrapping method. Through the KOH examination more numerous hypaes were found in the punch methods sample than the scrapping methods sample. Also, the punch methods positive culture rate was found to be 2. 5 times higher than that of the scrapping methods culture rate, with a 5 to 5. 5 times lower amount of contamination. In conclusion, the punch method was found to be a more precise and effective method of obtaining onychomycosis organisms. Although this method required a slight greater time to perform than the standard scrapping method, I believe it will be a valuable aid in the detection of causative organisms of onychamycosis.

MeSH Terms

Onychomycosis*