Paronychia (overview) L03.02

Non-prejudicial term for an acute or chronic, mostly bacterial inflammation of the nail fold(paronychium).

Differentiation according to course:

• acute paronychia
• chronic paronychia

Differentiation according to etiology:

• infectious paronychia
  • Panaritium paraunguale
  • Syphilitic paronychia
  • Herpetic paronychia (herpes simplex infection)
  • Cutaneous leishmaniasis
  • Paronychia due to herpes simplex infection
  • Paronychia due to zinc deficiency (see Acrodermatitis enteropathica)
• Drug-induced sterile paronychia (e.g. retinoids, chemotherapy, protease inhibitors)
• Paronychia in systemic diseases:
  • Sterile pustular paronychia in acral pustular psoriasis (see acrodermatitis continua suppurativa).
  • Pemphigus vulgaris
  • Thrombangitis obliterans
  • Ulcerative colitis/MorbusCrohn
• Traumatic
  • Paronychia in hairdressers
  • Unguis incarnatus
  • Retronychia
• Contact allergic or toxic-irritative
• Paronychia due to acral tumors (e.g. Bowen's disease, squamous cell carcinoma, acrolentiginous malignant melanoma)

1. Chanprapaph K et al (2015) Cutaneous adverse events of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors: A retrospective review of 99 cases. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 81:547.
2. Di Costanzo L et al (2014) Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH): two cases successfully treated with adalimumab. J Dermatolog Treat 25:489-494.
3. Figueiras Dde A et al (2016) Paronychia and granulation tissue formation during treatment with isotretinoin. An Bras Dermatol 91:223-225.
4. Lomax A et al. (2016) Toenail paronychia. Foot Ankle Surgery 22:219-223.
5. Taus Á (2016) Toxicity associated with EGRF inhibition: review and key aspects in the management of afatinib. Med Clin (Barc) 146 Suppl 1:30-35.
6. Tosti A et al (2011) Nail involvement in autoimmune bullous disorders. Dermatol Clin 29:511-513
7. Ventura F et al (2016) "Retronychia--clinical and pathophysiological aspects". J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 30(1):16-19.