title: Treatment of Ingrown Toenail with a Shape Memory Alloy Device.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to report the clinical results of a new conservative treatment modality that uses a shape memory alloy device in patients with ingrown toenail.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was performed on 41 patients with ingrown toenail treated with the K-D device (S&C Biotech, Seoul, South Korea) between April 2013 and July 2014. Recurrence rate, cosmetic results, pain during the treatment period, and patient satisfaction were the major outcome measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were followed for at least 6 months (mean ± SD, 8.6 ± 2.1 months; range, 6-12 months). Recurrence was seen in eight patients (19.5%). Mean time to recurrence was 6.2 months (range, 3-10 months). Thirty-one patients (75.6%) were satisfied with the treatment. Thirty-five patients (85.4%) rated the application and treatment period as painless, and the remaining six (14.6%) noted pain particularly during shoe wearing. Thirty-one patients (75.6%) rated the cosmetic results as "excellent," four (9.8%) as "acceptable," and six (14.6%) as "poor." Satisfaction with the treatment, the cosmetic results, and pain were significantly worse in patients with recurrence (P = .0001 for all). All of the patients returned to their work immediately after application of the device. No complications occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The K-D device is a safe and effective treatment method for ingrown toenail. Although the recurrence rate is higher than for surgical treatment methods, the K-D device is a practical and painless method that provides immediate return to work and daily activities and excellent or acceptable cosmesis in most patients.
authors.forename: Hasan Onur
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Arik
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arican
authors.forename: Volkan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gunes
authors.forename: Ozkan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000497:Alloys; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009263:Nails, Ingrown / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011032:Podiatry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012008:Recurrence; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014034:Toes; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys