Mees nail bands

Mees nail bands as a result of chemotherapy given every three weeks for breast cancer

As Mees' lines (also: Mees nail strips ) are dull gray Querstreifungen on fingernails and toenails designated by an intoxication with arsenic or thallium or as a result of chemotherapy with cytotoxic drugs come about and especially in forensic medicine are an important finding.

The phenomenon, named after the Dutch doctor RA Mees , had previously also been described by other authors. The streaks that advance with the growth of the nails become visible after surviving intoxication.

When interpreting the findings, the other symptoms must always be taken into account, since Mees nail tapes do not in themselves have any proof of intoxication.

See also

• Leukonychia punctata

literature

• Zimmer: Exam preparation for forensic medicine , p. 51ff. 2nd Edition; Thieme, Stuttgart; 2009. ISBN 978-3-13-141172-3

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Mees: A versijnsel bij polyneuritis arsenicosa. Nederl Tijdschr Geneesk 1919; 1 (5) 391-396
2. ^ Reynolds: An account of the epidemic outbreak of arsenical poisoning occurring in beer-drinkers in the North of England and Midland Counties in 1900. Lancet 1901; 1: 166-70
3. ↑ Aldrich: Leuconychia striata arsenicalis transversus, with report of three cases. Am J Med Sci 1904; 127: 702-709.
4. ↑ Wigand: The nature of the Meesschen nail tape in arsenic polyneuritis. International Journal of Legal Medicine 1933; 20: 207-210

Web links

• Illustration of Mees nail bands from the University Clinic Erlangen

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !