A novel modified Winograd surgical tricks and tips with a "bird flap" for the treatment of ingrown toenails.

BACKGROUND: The Winograd technique is the most commonly used surgical treatment for ingrown toenails. We describe a novel modified approach, more effective and simpler to perform with a better cosmetic outcome.

METHODS: We retrospectively included 45 and 39 patients with 67 and 58 ingrown toenails who underwent our modified Winograd technique and the Winograd technique, respectively, from July 2017 to June 2020, and obtained data after 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up.

RESULTS: No significant differences in the postoperative time taken to return to regular activities in the modified Winograd and traditional Winograd groups (p = 0.103) and regarding the recurrence in both groups (p = 0.055) were found. The extent of proximal germinal matrix exposure with the modified Winograd technique was significantly more clearly revealed than in the traditional Winograd method contextually (p < 0.05). The postoperative appearance satisfaction rate was significantly higher in the modified Winograd group than in the traditional Winograd group (p = 0.029).

CONCLUSION: The modified Winograd technique is effective in treating ingrown toenails.