Subungual Exostosis: A Case Series of 48 Patients

Abstract

Background: Subungual exostosis is an unusual benign nail tumor, mostly located on the big toe. It generally affects young people and manifests as uncomfort during footwear. Method: A monocentric retrospective study was conducted at the outpatient consultation for nail disorders at the Department of Dermatology of the University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco, between April 2006 and October 2019. Results: We diagnosed subungual exostosis in 48 patients, including 25 men and 23 women, with an average age of 20 years. The subungual exostosis was located on the hallux in 34 cases, the second toe in 10 cases, and the index finger in 2 cases. Nail trauma was found in 27 patients. The tumor was entirely excised in all the patients. Conclusion: Large series of subungual exostosis are reported by orthopedic surgeons. However, our outpatient consultation for nail disorders allowed the diagnosis and appropriate management of subungual exostosis.