Comparison of effectiveness of electrocautery and phenol application in partial matricectomy after partial nail extraction in the treatment of ingrown nails.

UNLABELLED: Ingrowing nail also known as onychocryptosis is a common health problem. This disease mostly affects young people, often carrying a considerable amount of socio-economic implications. It's foot problem that usually manifests as inflammation of tissue along the side of a toenail. The aim of the study was to asses and to compare effectiveness of electrocautery and phenol application in partial matrixectomy after partial nail extraction in the treatment of ingrown toenails.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The group of 60 patients with ingrowing toenail which was randomized into two groups underwent partial matrixectomy in surgical outpatient clinic between 2009-2013. This group of patients was under surgical observation for 100 days in outpatient clinic.

RESULTS: In all operated patients we obtained surgical success however we had 13 recurrences during the follow up period, 5 in the phenolization group and 8 in the electrocoagulation group.

CONCLUSIONS: There was statistically significant difference between these two techniques, which indicated that matrix phenolization is connected with shortened healing time vs the matrix electrocoagulation.