PREVENTION OF THE PARROT BEAK DEFORMITY IN FINGERTIP INJURIES

Abstract

The nail is supported by the dorsal tuft of the terminal phalanx. Following distal fingertip trauma, varying amounts of nail support may be lost resulting in the nail curving palmarwards. This curvature is dependent upon the degree of bony loss, the amount of remaining nail bed and the degree of scar contracture at the hyponychial-pulp interface. The parrot beak or hooked nail deformity is most commonly caused by tight closure of a fingertip amputation and excessive palmar tension at the hyponychial-pulp suture line. A simple technique using a hypodermic needle, that eliminates tension from the suture line at the fingertip pulp-hyponychial interface and prevents hooked nail deformity is described. This allows healing to take place without any palmarwards pull of the scar and a subsequent parrot beak deformity.