Simple Operative Management of Ingrown Toenail Using Bipolar Diathermy

Abstract

Ingrowing toenails (IGTN) cause significant discomfort for children and adults alike. Where conservative treatment fails, a surgical approach is usually adopted. Many surgical procedures have been described with varying complexity and outcome. We report a novel, simple technique which involves wedge excision of the ingrowing nail, and bipolar diathermy of the nail bed. Three-hundred and fifty-three procedures were carried out on 302 patients during the study period. Our re-operation rate for recurrence is 9.9%, which compares favourably with other techniques, and which lends itself to utilisation for minor surgery lists in primary care.

Key words

toenail - ingrowing - diathermy

References

• 1 Sykes PA. Ingrowing toenails: time for critical appraisal?.  J R Coll Surg Edinb. 1986;  31 300-304
• 2 Noël B. Surgical treatment of ingrown toenail without matricectomy.  Dermatol Surg. 2008;  34 79-83
• 3 Yang G, Yanchar NL, Lo AY. et al . Treatment of ingrown toenails in the pediatric population.  J Pediatr Surg. 2008;  43 931-935
• 4 Islam S, Lin EM, Drongowski R. et al . The effect of phenol on ingrown toenail excision in children.  J Pediatr Surg. 2005;  40 290-292
• 5 Rounding C, Bloomfield S. Surgical treatments for ingrowing toenails.  Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000;  ((2)) CD001541
• 6 Bos AM, van Tilburg MW, van Sorge AA. et al . Randomized clinical trial of surgical technique and local antibiotics for ingrowing toenail.  Br J Surg. 2007;  94 292-296
• 7 Sugden P, Levy M, Rao GS. Onychocryptosis-phenol burn fiasco.  Burns. 2001;  27 289-292
• 8 van der Ham AC, Hackeng CA, Yo TI. The treatment of ingrowing toenails. A randomised comparison of wedge excision and phenol cauterisation.  J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1990;  72 507-509
• 9 Lau YS, Yeung JM. Surgical treatment of in-growing toenails performed by senior house officers: are they good enough?.  Scott Med J. 2005;  50 22-23

Correspondence