clubbing

A condition affecting the fingers and toes in which proliferation of distal soft tissues, especially the nail beds, results in thickening and widening of the extremities of the digits; the nails are abnormally curved nail beds excessively compressible, and skin over them red and shiny. See Hippocratic nails, under nail.

- hereditary c. [MIM*119900] simple hereditary c. of the digits without associated pulmonary or other progressive disease, often more severe in males; most common in black patients; autosomal dominant inheritance. SYN: acropachy.

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club·bing 'kləb-iŋ n the condition of being clubbed <\clubbing of the fingers and toes>

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n.

thickening of the tissues at the bases of the finger and toe nails so that the normal angle between the nail and the digit is filled in. The nail becomes convex in all directions and in extreme cases the digit end becomes bulbous like a club or drumstick. Clubbing is seen in pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, empyema, infective endocarditis, cyanotic congenital heart disease, and lung cancer and as a harmless congenital abnormality.

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club·bing (klubґing) a digital deformity produced by proliferation of the soft tissues about the terminal phalanges of the fingers or toes, with no constant osseous changes; seen in various types of chronic disease of the thoracic organs. Cf. clubbed finger.

Clubbing of fingers in an adolescent with tetralogy of Fallot.