A Comparative Analysis of Surgical Interventions for Ingrown Toenails.

BACKGROUND

The literature extensively documents various surgical approaches for managing ingrown toenails. Postoperative recurrence following matrixectomy treatments may influence clinicians to favor external bracing as a treatment modality for ingrown toenails. This study provided a comparative analysis of patients diagnosed with ingrown toenails who underwent either the nail fixation procedure or the Winograd technique.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted of patients who underwent surgery for ingrown toenails between August 2021 and January 2023. Parameters, including age, sex, Heifetz stage, visual analog scale score, time to return to daily activities, satisfaction state, and recurrence rate, were documented.

RESULTS

The study involved 64 patients, with 30 undergoing nail fixation treatment and 34 opting for the Winograd procedure. No statistical differences were observed in age, sex, affected side, satisfaction state, or visual analog scale score between the two groups. However, patients treated with nail fixation showed significant reductions in both the time to return to daily activities and ingrown toenail recurrence rate (P = .035 and P = .029, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Nail fixator treatment led to lower recurrence rates and a quicker return to daily activities, likely because of its less invasive nature. However, definitive conclusions are hindered by limited studies, necessitating further extensive research in this field.