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Case Reports
. 2016 Feb 2:2016:bcr2015213854.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2015-213854.

Hanging on by a thread: a rare case of secondary pseudoainhum

Leo Arkush  1 , Bernadette De Silva  2 , David Gordon  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Hanging on by a thread: a rare case of secondary pseudoainhum

Leo Arkush et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

Pseudoainhum is a rare and poorly characterised phenomenon involving autoamputation of a digit associated with an identifiable or related disease process. We describe the case of a 19-year-old man with long-standing neurodisability, sensorineural hearing loss and severe keratoderma, presenting with painless rapidly-progressing autoamputation of his left little toe. Genetic analysis thus far has been inconclusive. The toe appeared to be hanging on by a thread, with no clinical signs of infection. Radiographs showed lysis with complete resorption of the proximal phalynx. Routine blood tests found an isolated neutropenia with normal C reactive protein and biochemistry. We report an unusual case of a young adult with a history of chronic neurological and dermatological problems presenting with secondary pseudoainhum and provide a valuable addition to the limited literature describing this rare condition.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The dorsal aspect of the patient's left foot.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The plantar aspect of the patient's left foot.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Dorsoplantar and oblique radiographs of the patient's left foot.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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