Sodium hydroxide chemical matricectomy for the treatment of ingrown toenails: comparison of three different application periods.
OBJECTIVE
Sodium hydroxide matricectomy is a successful method for the treatment of ingrown toenails. This study was designed to evaluate the optimal sodium hydroxide application period providing high success rates with minimal postoperative morbidity.


METHODS
Sixty-six patients with 225 ingrown nail edges were treated in three groups receiving 30-second, 1-minute, and 2-minute applications of sodium hydroxide. Each patient was reviewed postoperatively for pain, drainage, and tissue damage. The median long-term follow-up period was 14 months.


RESULTS
The success rate of the therapy was 70.9% in the first group, 92.7% in the second group, and 94.4% in the third group. In all groups, about half of the patients experienced minimal pain within 48 hours following the operation, but only in the third group, 20% of the patients had minimal pain, which continued about 1 week. Drainage and tissue damage were minimal or mild in all groups and disappeared within 3 weeks in the first and second groups but were prolonged to 6 weeks in the third group.


CONCLUSIONS
The success rate of 30-second application is significantly lower than 1-minute and 2-minute applications. Although the success rates of the latter two procedures are similar, the prolonged healing time is the disadvantage of the 2-minute application. We conclude that 1-minute application of 10% sodium hydroxide is simple, safe, and highly effective for the treatment of ingrown nails.
Kocyigit
Pelin
P
Department of Dermatology, Ankara University Medical School, 06100 Ankara, Turkey. kocyigit@medicine.ankara.edu.tr
Bostanci
Seher
S
Ozdemir
Esin
E
Gürgey
Erbak
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002424:Caustics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails; D009263:Nails, Ingrown / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002424:Caustics; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide