Regeneration of nails with artificial dermis.

We treated fingertips injured through the proximal half of the nail bed using artificial dermis in 22 patients from 2004 to 2009. We classified the injuries to the nail bed into three types according to where the wounds were. Type І was localised to the nail bed with or without minor injury to the surrounding structure; type II was an avulsion and amputation of the fingertip including the nail bed, the finger pulp, and the distal phalanx at the level of the proximal nail bed; and type III was post-traumatic shortening of the nail, in which the pulp and distal phalanx were intact. Regeneration and elongation of the nail was achieved in every patient by applying artificial dermis. All patients were satisfied with the results.