Nagelabschnitte

Nagelabschnitte is a German term that may be encountered in dermatology or anatomical writing to describe subdivisions of the nail unit. The nail apparatus comprises several structures that work together to form and protect the visible nail plate: the nail matrix, nail plate, nail bed, proximal nail fold, and the surrounding cuticle and hyponychium. Growth of the visible nail plate originates in the nail matrix, with the lunula marking the visible portion of the proximal matrix.

In a longitudinal or sectional description, Nagelabschnitte may be used to denote approximate regions along the nail plate: a proximal, a middle, and a distal section. The proximal section includes the matrix and proximal fold, the middle section corresponds to the central portion of the nail plate resting on the nail bed, and the distal section comprises the free edge and hyponychium.

Clinical relevance lies in the ability to localize findings along the nail. Describing changes in terms of sections can help in assessing growth patterns, trauma, or disease processes. Conditions such as onychomycosis, psoriasis, paronychia, or nail trauma may present with regionally distinct involvement, making a sectional description useful for documentation and diagnosis.

Terminology: in contemporary medical practice, more precise terms—such as nail matrix, nail bed, nail plate, lunula, proximal and distal nail folds, eponychium, and hyponychium—are typically preferred. Nagelabschnitte thus functions primarily as a descriptive aid rather than a formal anatomical category.

Etymology: the term is formed from Nagel (nail) and Abschnitte (sections) in German.