title: Comparison of effectiveness of electrocautery and cryotherapy in partial matrixectomy after partial nail extraction in the treatment of ingrown nails.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine an effective mode of therapy of ingrown nail using two different methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with the diagnosis of stage 2 or 3 ingrown nails were included and divided into two groups. In the first group, partial matrixectomy was performed using electrocautery after partial nail extraction; in the second group, partial matrixectomy using cryotherapy was performed after partial nail extraction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 53 patients with ingrown nails. Patient ages ranged from 11 to 79 years (median 31.8 ± 16.9). No relapse was observed in 96.2% of the patients after a follow-up period of 3-12 months (n = 51). Matrixectomy in 71.7% (n = 38) of patients was successful. Matrixectomy using electrocautery was successful in 18 of 29 patients. Matrixectomy using cryotherapy was successful in 20 of 24 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Matrixectomy should be added to the treatment of ingrown nails. There was no significant difference between electrocautery and cryotherapy in terms of relapse. In patients with advanced stages of ingrown nails, partial nail extraction combined with matrixectomy using cryotherapy is an effective method of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Nevşehir State Hospital, İstanbul, Nevşehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Küçüktaş
authors.forename: Zekayi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kutlubay
authors.forename: Gürkan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yardimci
authors.forename: Rashid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khatib
authors.forename: Yalçın
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tüzün
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009263:Nails, Ingrown / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome