Amelanotic subungual melanoma after trauma: An unusual clinical presentation

Amelanotic subungual melanoma (SUM) is difficult to clinically diagnose owing to its rarity and variable presentation. We describe a case of a 63-year-old gentleman with an amelanotic SUM that developed after local trauma and presented as a persistent non-healing ulcer which was initially mistaken for a chronic infection. Because amelanotic SUM can mimic other lesions, the physician should have a high index of suspicion for SUM when managing atypical nail lesions to ensure prompt recognition and treatment. The prior trauma to the nail also suggests that posttraumatic inflammation may play a role in SUM development.