Partial matricectomy with electrodesiccation for permanent repair of ingrown nail borders

A large number of chemical and surgical procedures have been described for the management and correction of onychocryptosis (1-15). Many of these procedures share the problem of prolonged postoperative drainage, which may continue from 4 to 6 weeks. This extended time period can cause the patient inconvenience and discomfort, and continuous follow-up care by the physician is necessary. Electrodesiccation combined with surgical excision of the nail matrix to correct an ingrowing nail border permanently is simple, fast, has a low incidence of infection, and will usually have a dry bed of granulation tissue within 10 days after surgery.