Inflammation of tissues surrounding the nail is known as?

Chitranjjan National Cancer Institute Kolkata - 2021

Medical Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: Chitranjjan National Cancer Institute Kolkata - 2021

Explanation

Paronychia is the medical term for inflammation of the nail folds, which are the tissues surrounding the nail plate.
As seen in the image, the condition presents with erythema (redness), edema (swelling), and tenderness of the skin around the nail.
It is typically caused by a bacterial (like Staphylococcus) or fungal (like Candida) infection, often initiated by minor trauma, nail-biting, or frequent exposure to moisture.

Option A: Clubbing is a deformity of the nail and fingertip, not an inflammation of the surrounding tissue. It involves a change in the angle of the nail and a bulbous appearance of the finger's end.
Option B: Koilonychia, or 'spoon nails', refers to a change in the shape of the nail plate itself, causing it to become concave. It is not an inflammatory condition of the nail folds.
Option D: Onycholysis is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed underneath. While it can occur with infections, it is the lifting of the nail itself, not the inflammation of the surrounding skin.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Identification of common nail and nail bed disorders as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must be able to differentiate between local nail infections like paronychia and nail changes that indicate systemic disease (e.g., clubbing, koilonychia).
Patient education is a key nursing role in managing paronychia, including teaching about proper hand hygiene, nail care, and when to seek medical attention.
What if? If the patient with paronychia also has diabetes, the nurse's priority escalates. The infection poses a higher risk for severe complications like cellulitis or osteomyelitis, requiring more aggressive monitoring and management of blood glucose levels.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the question stem to identify the key concept: 'inflammation of tissues surrounding the nail'.
Next, carefully examine the provided image. Observe the specific signs present, such as redness and swelling localized to the skin fold next to the nail.
Evaluate each option based on its medical definition. 'Paro-' means 'around' and '-onychia' refers to the nail, so 'Paronychia' literally means 'around the nail'.
Compare the definition of each option with the visual evidence. The image directly corresponds to the definition of paronychia.
Eliminate the other options by recalling their distinct features: Clubbing (nail angle change), Koilonychia (spoon shape), and Onycholysis (nail separation).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Identification of common nail and nail bed disorders.
Stem keywords: inflammation, tissues surrounding the nail
Lead-in keywords: known as
Clinical cues: The image showing redness and swelling of the nail fold is a key diagnostic clue.

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