Ainhum

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ainhum

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the medical designation?Dactylolysis spontanea
2. What is the etymological origin?Portuguese language
3. What is Ainhum and why does a toe fall off?Ainhum is a rare condition where a tight band forms around the base of the fifth toe, and over time it cuts off blood flow until the toe falls off by itself.
4. Why does the fifth toe get affected in Ainhum?It usually affects the little toe on the outside of the foot, and it is more common in people from tropical or subtropical areas and certain ethnic groups.

Dactylolysis spontanea: The medical term for Ainhum, denoting spontaneous separation of digits due to constriction.
Ischemic Necrosis: Tissue death caused by a lack of adequate blood supply.
Autoamputation: The self-amputation of a body part, often due to chronic injury or disease.