A study of nail bed injuries: causes, treatment, and prognosis.

Two hundred ninety-nine nail bed injuries were studied over a 5 1/2-year period. Methods of repair were described. Follow-up was obtained for 184 injuries. The injuries were defined, categorized, and analyzed according to defined result categories and results were graded from excellent to poor. Ninety percent of the repaired nail beds were graded good to excellent. Poorer results occurred with crush or avulsion injuries, with injuries of both nail bed and nail fold, and with associated infection.