Treatment of symptomatic incurved toenail with a new device

The purpose of this study was to report our results treating symptomatic incurved toenail with a K-D (S&C Biotech, Seoul, South Korea) device.

Between October 2007 and March 2008, 19 patients (31 cases) underwent treatment of symptomatic incurved toenails with a K-D. The mean age of the patients involved was 38.8 +/- 12.4 years. The mean period of time at last followup was 13.3 +/- 4.9 months. An American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) forefoot hallux score was assigned, and patients were evaluated at pretreatment and the last followup period. Patient satisfaction and the recurrence rate of the deformity were evaluated. For evaluation of improvement in toenail shape, the center to edge angle of the toenail was measured at pretreatment and last followup. The complication rate was also evaluated.

All ingrown toenails healed and the nail deformity was corrected within 3 weeks after the procedure. Among the 31 cases, only two cases of incurved toenails recurred on last followup (6% recurrence rate). The mean pretreatment AOFAS forefoot hallux score was 71.1 +/- 13.9 and improved to 100 by the last followup (p < 0.001). Every patient was very satisfied or satisfied with the results of treatment including the two cases of recurrence. The mean center to edge angle of the toenail improved from 51.1 +/- 9.5 degrees to 18.4 +/- 5.2 degrees by the last followup (p < 0.001). Minor paronychia, which were managed with local wound dressing and oral antibiotics, were identified in seven cases. No other complication associated with the K-D were identified.

The management of an incurved toenail with the K-D was an effective and safe treatment method for patients having symptomatic incurved toenail deformity.