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Case Reports
. 2021 Oct 6;11(4).
doi: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.21.00346.

Recurrent Osteomyelitis Requiring Surgical Management Secondary to Nail-Biting: A Case Report

Marcus Hoof  1 , Daniel J Cognetti, William D Mcclain, Benjamin Plucknette
Affiliations
Case Reports

Recurrent Osteomyelitis Requiring Surgical Management Secondary to Nail-Biting: A Case Report

Marcus Hoof et al. JBJS Case Connect. .

Abstract

Case: Onychophagia, or nail-biting, is a common habit seen in both children and adults. Harmful effects include oral exposure to a variety of pathogens and concomitant damage to dentition and fingers. This report focuses on the most severe reported case of recurrent osteomyelitis of the bilateral hands with destructive changes secondary to onychophagia.

Conclusion: Successful treatment relies on a multidisciplinary approach which in this case included surgical management and counseling on cessation, with referrals to other providers to address underlying psychiatric and/or psychologic conditions that may predispose to this compulsion.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/B642).

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