“An Uncanny Kin of the Ingrown Toenail”: Harpoon Nail and the Surgical Challenge in Its Management

Ingrown toenails result from the painful conflict between the nail plate and the surrounding soft tissues. Ingrowing may be precipitated by improper nail cutting in most instances, and occlusive footwear and trauma, in others. The most common type of ingrown nail is the distal lateral variant. We report a relatively unique and rare case of ingrown nail—the harpoon nail, wherein the distal lateral spur arising from improper and incomplete trimming of the nail, pierced through the distolateral wall until it appeared over the tip of the toe. It is a cause of great morbidity to the patient and this report envisages the need for the correct surgical approach.