Fingertip injuries in children: a review of the literature.

Fingertip injuries in children are a common presentation in emergency settings. These injuries result from a variety of mechanisms with most occurring at home by crushing fingers in a door and are distressing for the child and parent or carer. It is essential that emergency clinicians respond competently and confidently. This article reviews the literature on the management of fingertip crush injuries to establish, where possible, best evidence. The article also describes the anatomy and assessment of the finger in relation to fractures of the distal phalanx, nail bed injury and subungual haematoma, and considers the use of antibiotics in the treatment of a subungual haematoma with a distal phalanx fracture.