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[Outcome of treatment of ingrown toe nails in the child]
M Heymanns1, S Berger, A Würfel
1Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinderchirurgie, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
Insights
Surgical treatment for ingrown toenails in children, primarily wedge resection, showed a 75% success rate after one procedure. Conservative treatments may be more promising for pediatric patients with ingrown toenails.
Area of Science:
- Podiatric surgery
- Pediatric dermatology
- Surgical outcomes
Context:
- Ingrown toenails (onychocryptosis) are common in children, but treatment outcomes are less understood than in adults.
- Previous studies focused on adult surgical interventions, leaving a knowledge gap in pediatric onychocryptosis management.
- This study addresses the limited data on surgical treatment efficacy for pediatric ingrown toenails.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the long-term results of surgical treatment for ingrown toenails in pediatric patients.
- To compare the effectiveness of surgical intervention versus conservative management for pediatric onychocryptosis.
- To identify optimal treatment strategies for ingrown toenails in children up to 14 years of age.
Summary:
- A follow-up study analyzed 91 ingrown toenails in 99 pediatric patients (up to 14 years) treated mainly by wedge resection between 1990-1994.
- Sixty-four nail folds remained symptom-free after a single surgical treatment, with a recurrence rate of 21 out of 85 nail folds.
- Conservative treatments (antimicrobial ointments, gutter treatment, antibiotics) appear more promising in children than adults; radical wedge resection is the reliable surgical option if conservative methods fail.
Impact:
- Highlights the potential effectiveness of conservative treatments for pediatric ingrown toenails.
- Provides evidence-based insights into the success rates and recurrence of surgical wedge resection in children.
- Informs clinical decision-making for managing onychocryptosis in pediatric populations, suggesting a tailored approach.
Abstract:
Difficulties encountered and long-term results of surgical treatment of ingrown toenails are well documented in the adult patient. In infants and children, however, little is known about this problematic entity. We therefore performed a follow-up study in 91 out of 99 ingrowing toenails in children up to 14 years. The patients were treated in our department from 1990 to 1994 mainly by wedge resection. 64 nail folds remained free of symptoms after single surgical treatment. Recurrence of infection or nail spikes was found in 21 out of 85 nail folds. In children, conservative treatments with antimicrobial ointments, gutter treatment, and in selected cases systemic antibiotics, are more promising than in adults. If these efforts remain unsuccessful, the only reliable surgical approach is a radical wedge resection.