Pakistani doctors discovered a rare case of ‘double nail’ when a man came to them with a tiny fingernail growing out on top of his middle finger’s nail. An extremely rare case of a tiny fingernail growing on top of another was discovered after a 28-year-old man walked into hospital complaining about the discomfort and pain it was causing his left middle finger and showed cosmetic concerns. A paper published in the journal International Journal of Surgery Open provided details on the unusual case and how the doctors were able to remove it from the man’s finger.

There was no previous history of any trauma or infection or any surgery to this finger, also no such family history of the ‘accessory nail’, patient was otherwise healthy with no other systemic problem. The patient experienced psychological distress and was concerned about the way it looked. Following an X-ray which did not reveal anything unusual, surgeons were able to remove the growth under a local anaesthetic. A specialist found the growth was made of keratin – the main protein which makes up our hair and nails.

Man with Double Nail Growth

Double nail removed from man's finger. (Photo Credits: ScienceDirect.com)

After its removal under local anaesthesia, the specimen was sent for histopathology. Patient was examined after a week and stitches removed. No other complications reported by patient and his psychological feedback was satisfactory. This kind of secondary growth is rare and has only been described four times in previous literature and was found on toe nails, according to the paper. The authors also said few patients who discover the double nail seek help. They only do so when experiencing discomfort or for cosmetic reasons.

Accessory or double nails are sometimes congenital, or they may be even acquired condition. In some patients they cause symptoms while in others they are asymptomatic depending also upon the type of work or profession. It is important for patients to get these removed or excised, even if no symptoms of pain and discomfort. There might be some concerns regarding hygiene.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 19, 2018 04:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).