title: Treatment of nail bed defects with hard palate mucosal grafts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nail bed defects produce a nail plate dystrophy that is permanent and presents important cosmetic problems. To correct the defect, we used a hard palate mucosal graft. This is a procedure with encouraging outcomes for nail bed scars.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To show our initial experience with the hard palate mucosal graft technique for correcting nail dystrophy or permanent onycholysis secondary to a nail bed scar.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, longitudinal, descriptive, observational study. We included five patients with a traumatic nail bed scar and one patient with congenital dystrophy. Seven nails were treated using a hard palate mucosal graft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All repaired nails had a good outcome, with excellent growth and improvement in nail dystrophy. The patients had surgical recovery in 2 weeks and tolerable pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is a relatively easy procedure for experienced surgeons to correct nail dystrophy secondary to a nail bed scar, with good to excellent results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, General Hospital Dr. Manuel Gea Gonzalez, Tlalpan, Mexico, DF.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fernández-Mejía
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Cherit
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pichardo-Velázquez
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: González-Olvera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation*; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000637:transplantation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome