Circumferential Toenail

Abstract

Congenital deformities occur in approximately 1% of all live births. The exact incidence of congenital foot deformities is unknown. The presence of a circumferential nail of the toe is a very rare deformity. In our review of the literature, we have encountered only two previously reported cases of circumferential toenails. In these cases the patients were siblings and also had circumferential fingernails. This report describes circumferential toenails without other hand or other congenital deformities.

Standing nail deformity of the great toes with multiple brachymetacarpia and brachyphalangia of the hand

“…Various congenital or acquired nail deformities and their treatments have been reported [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. However, we have seen two patients who had a curious nail deformity with brachyphalangia of both great toes, which was different from those previously reported.…”

“…Varieties of nail deformity have been reported including claw nail [1], pincer nail [2], curved nail [3], circumferential nail [4], hook nail [5], parrot-beak nail [6], and ingrown nail [7]. Some of them are congenital and others acquired.…”

Circumferential fingernail

“…Our patient did not demonstrate these features, and of note, no abnormality of chromosome 6 was detected on karyotyping. More recently, Chavda and Crosby described a case of circumferential toenails not associated with other congenital abnormalities 5 …”

Isolated Congenital Nail Dysplasia

“…In exceptional cases, absence (anonychia) [22][23][24] or severe hypoplasia (onychoatrophia, micronychia, hyponychia) 22,25 of 1 or more nails follow dominant and recessive patterns of inheritance. 4,26 Furthermore, koilonychia, 27 trachyo- nychia, 26 leukonychia, 28 brachyonychia, 29 clubbing, 30 periodic shedding, 31 partial onycholysis, 32 onychogryposis, 33 overcurvature of the nails, 34 pterygium inversum unguis, 35 and circumferential toenails 36 have been observed as hereditary variants. Although of genetic origin, most developmental abnormalities affect only certain nails.…”

“…nychia, 26 leukonychia, 28 brachyonychia, 29 clubbing, 30 periodic shedding, 31 partial onycholysis, 32 onychogryposis, 33 overcurvature of the nails, 34 pterygium inversum unguis, 35 and circumferential toenails 36 have been observed as hereditary variants. Although of genetic origin, most developmental abnormalities affect only certain nails.…”