Background:Ingrowntoenailsoccurwhentheperi-ungual skinis punctured by its co"esponding nail plate, surgical management of this process still creates a problem about the ideal therapy for its management, we report here a new procedure for its management.
Patients and methods: This study included n=18 patients aged from 21 years to 42 with a mean age 26±0.2 years, in the period between March 2010 to December 2010. All the patients were consulted for pain with or without infected granulation tissue in the lateral nail fold in n= 8, medial folds in n= 6 patients and in n=4 on both sides of the big toe. Under local anesthesia or general all the patients were operated on with a long V shaped excision in the middle aspect of the nail.
Results: Minimal postoperative pain and bleeding occu"ed according to the visual analogue score, the patients started to walk normally with a well weight bearing after 7days. Time off work ranged from 7 to 10 days with a mean duration 7.5 days. Complete wound nail healing occu"ed in 14 to 18 days, mean [11±1.2} and one case developed postoperative recu"ence through the period of follow up (mean 7.4 m), range from 6 to 12 months.
Conclusion:Midline V shaped excision of the nail gives us an alternative tool for management of ingrowing nail with less pain and rapid heeling.