A Case of 20 Nail Onychogryphosis with Localized Plantar Hyperkeratosis and Cutaneous Horn

Kang, Sung Bum; Lee, Jun Young; Cho, Baik Kee; Houh, Won

Abstract

We present herein a case of 20 nail onychogryphosis with localized plantar hyper keratosis and cutaneous horns occuring in a 21 year-old schizophrenic female patient. The finger nails were brownish in color and the surface of nail plates has the coarse transverse striations. The nail plates beyond the free edge were thickened and curved inward markedly. The toe nails were dirty grayish in color and the nail plates were thickened markedly and curved like the horn of ram. All the nail plates were seperated and removed from the nail beds without any difficulty and the nail matrices were destroyed by electrodesiccation. Lacalized plantar hyperkeratosis and cutaneous horns were also removed successfully by occlusive dressing with 40% salicylic acid ointment and by surgical excision. Psychogenic disorder and prolonged hygienic indifference could be the most. probable cause in this patient.