Dermatology and Nail Disorders Flashcards
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Which dermatophyte species is most commonly responsible for tinea pedis (athlete's foot)?
Answer: Trichophyton rubrum
Trichophyton rubrum is the most prevalent dermatophyte causing tinea pedis, accounting for approximately 70% of cases.
A patient presents with a thickened, yellowed, and brittle toenail that separates from the nail bed. Which condition is most likely?
Answer: Onychomycosis
Onychomycosis presents with subungual hyperkeratosis, onycholysis, yellow/brown discoloration, and nail brittleness due to fungal invasion.
What is the first-line systemic antifungal treatment for onychomycosis of the toenails?
Answer: Terbinafine 250 mg daily for 12 weeks
Terbinafine 250 mg daily for 12 weeks is the preferred systemic treatment for toenail onychomycosis due to superior mycological cure rates.
A patient with psoriasis presents with nail pitting, oil-drop discoloration, and onycholysis. Which nail finding is considered pathognomonic for psoriatic nail disease?
Answer: Nail pitting
Nail pitting (small ice-pick depressions on the dorsal nail plate) is considered pathognomonic for psoriasis among the common nail changes.
Which of the following describes onychogryphosis?
Answer: Extreme hypertrophy and curvature of the nail resembling a ram's horn
Onychogryphosis (ram's horn nail) is characterized by extreme thickening and curved deformity of the nail plate, most often affecting the hallux in elderly patients.
A plantar verruca (plantar wart) is caused by which pathogen?
Answer: Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Plantar warts are caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV), most commonly subtypes 1, 2, and 4, which infect the epidermis through microabrasions.
When treating an ingrown toenail (onychocryptosis) with partial nail avulsion, which procedure permanently destroys the lateral nail matrix to prevent recurrence?
Answer: Chemical matrixectomy with phenol
Chemical matrixectomy using 88% phenol applied to the exposed matrix after partial nail avulsion permanently ablates nail matrix cells, preventing nail regrowth in that segment.
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