title: Controlled nail trephination for subungual hematoma.
abstract: An injury to a finger or toe can result in a collection of blood under the nail plate that if unrelieved can cause extreme discomfort due to pressure. In this case, a 47-year-old man developed a subungual hematoma of the right thumb due to a crush injury. Controlled nail trephination was performed using a uniquely designed drill that penetrated the nail plate without breaching the nail bed. The subungual hematoma was successfully drained, and there was a substantial relief in pain over the subsequent 8 hours. This technique appears to be a quick and convenient method of evacuating subungual hematomas with minimal discomfort and minimal risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Salter
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ciocon
authors.forename: Thiruvallur R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Gowrishankar
authors.forename: Alexa B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kimball
mesh_terms: D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013933:Thumb / Q000293:injuries*