A Comparison of Clinical Outcomes Between the Winograd and Modified Winograd Methods for Ingrown Toenails: A Retrospective Study of the Importance of Suturing Techniques

Aim: This study aimed to compare the effects of the Winograd and modified Winograd methods for nail bed suturing on clinical outcomes in patients with nail ingrown. Methods: In total, 45 patients who underwent surgery for ingrown toenails between December 2019 and December 2020 were randomised retrospectively. In this study, different methods applied by the authors were studied, and the methods applied by each author were divided into two separate groups. All patients had partial germinal matrix and nail bed excisions. Thirty (53.6%) of the nails were dressed in gauze, leaving the excised area of ​​the nail unsutured (group 1). Then, the remaining 26 nails (group 2) were sutured with the mattress suturing technique to ensure that the skin was under the nail. Clinical outcomes, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, and verbal satisfaction status were statistically evaluated. Results: In our study, 56 nails of 45 patients were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were followed up for an average of 13 (10­19) months. The mean age was 27.13 (15-­48) years. In total, 31 (68.9%) of the patients were men, and 14 (31.1%) were women. The incidence of postoperative bleeding and granulation tissue development decreased in the sutured group. In group 1, the development of hypertrophic granulation tissue after surgery had a significantly negative impact on VAS score and recovery time. In the sutured group, patients returned to work or performed activities of daily living for a shorter period. Approximately 95% of patients were satisfied or extremely satisfied. Conclusion: Partial matrix excision using the appropriate suturing technique is associated with a fast recovery, low recurrence rate, high patient satisfaction, and earlier return to work activities of daily life among patients treated for ingrown toenails.