Non-operative treatment versus suture refixation of the nail plate in paediatric fingernail avulsion injuries.

The study compared a non-operative treatment, consisting of ointment dressing only, with the standard surgical nail plate refixation for simple fingernail avulsion injuries in children. A non-inferiority hypothesis was tested in a single-centre, prospective cohort study. The quality of the new nail was the primary outcome and was assessed with the Nail Appearance Score. The secondary outcome was patient and parental satisfaction, which was assessed with the Patients' and Parental Nail Satisfaction Score. Fifty-one patients were enrolled; 39 (76%) chose the non-operative treatment and 12 (24%) the standard operative therapy. Comparison of the two groups confirmed the non-inferiority hypothesis with a risk difference for the new nail of -0.02 with a 95% confidence interval of (-0.05, 0.01). The outcome was excellent in all fingers with no significant differences regarding either the primary or secondary outcome. In view of associated risks and costs for surgery, we recommend ointment dressings for such injuries.Level of evidence: II.

Topical Timolol for Infantile Hemangiomas: Evidence for Efficacy and Degree of Systemic Absorption.

BACKGROUND: Topical use of timolol for infantile hemangiomas has recently emerged with promising results. It is unknown whether topical ß-blockers act locally or if their effect is partly due to systemic absorption. This study investigates whether topically applied timolol is absorbed and reports on the efficacy of this treatment. METHODS: We treated 40 infants with small proliferating hemangiomas with topical timolol gel 0.5% twice daily and assessed urinary excretion and serum levels in a proportion of patients. Clinical response was evaluated on a visual analog scale of standardized photographs after 1, 2, 3, and 5 months. RESULTS: Forty infants with a median age of 18 weeks (range 2-35 wks) were included; 23 (58%) had superficial and 17 (42%) mixed-type hemangiomas. The median size was 3 cm(2) (range 0.1-15 cm(2) ) and nine hemangiomas were ulcerated. The hemangiomas improved significantly during treatment, with a median increase in visual analog scale of 7 points after 5 months (p < 0.001). Urinalysis for timolol was performed in 24 patients and was positive in 20 patients (83%). In three infants, serum levels of timolol were also measured and were all positive (median 0.16 ng/mL [range 0.1-0.18 ng/mL]). No significant side effects were recorded. CONCLUSION: Topical therapy with timolol is effective for infantile hemangiomas, but systemic absorption occurs. Serum levels in our patients were low, suggesting that using timolol for small hemangiomas is safe, but caution is advised when treating ulcerated or large hemangiomas, very young infants, or concomitantly using systemic propranolol.