Minimizing postoperative drainage with 20% ferric chloride after chemical matricectomy with phenol.

BACKGROUND

Phenol used in partial matricectomy shows its effects by denaturing matrix proteins. This highly successful method has the major problem of oozing which can continue for 5-6 weeks.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of 20% ferric chloride (FC) (FeCl3) on minimizing the oozing after chemical matricectomy with phenol.

METHODS

Sixty-seven patients with stage III onychocryptosis were treated by chemical matricectomy with 90% aqueous phenol. In 32 of these patients FC was applied to the nail bed after the phenolization procedure.

RESULTS

We found a statistically significant (P <.001) reduction of oozing in the FC-applied group of patients.

CONCLUSION

We think that using FC after phenol chemical matricectomy results in a significant reduction in oozing from the operation site.