Radio-frequency Ablation for Matricectomy in the Management of Ingrown Toenail: A Pilot Study

INTRODUCTION: Ingrown toenail is one of the most commonly encountered nail disorders that adversely affect the quality of life. The common surgical intervention includes partial nail avulsion with chemical matricectomy but it has a relatively longer recovery period. We attempted to study the efficacy and safety of radio frequency (RF) for matricectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight patients with total 10 ingrown toenails (grade 2) were recruited. Partial nail avulsion with RF ablation of matrix was performed. The radio-frequency electrode was placed over the lateral matrix horn for the duration of 3–5s, two to three times. Patients were followed up at regular interval. Outcome was measured in terms of ooze, erythema, pain, and swelling of the lateral nail folds. RESULTS: Of the eight patients, six were males and two were females. Total 10 nails were treated as two patients had bilateral toenail involvement. Average number of days required for postprocedural healing was 7.5 days. Significant improvement was observed in terms of erythema, pain as well as swelling within 4 days of surgery. None of the cases showed any adverse effects or relapse within 3–5 months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Matricectomy by radio-frequency ablation is a safe and effective method in the management of ingrown toenail with significant reduction in downtime.