Spiculectomy and Orthonyxia for Ingrown Toenails in Patients at Risk; Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Background: Ingrown toenails (unguis incarnatus) are common in persons with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). Minimal invasive treatment of ingrown toenails with spiculectomy and/or orthonyxia might be a promising treatment option. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of minimal invasive treatment spiculectomy and orthonyxia Design/Setting: Prospective observational cohort study in an outpatient podiatric clinic Method: Eighty-eight patients with unguis incarnatus were included. Primary outcomes were post-procedural complication rate (infection and hemorrhage), and duration of pain. Patient satisfaction during and after treatment procedure was evaluated. Results: Healing was achieved in 80/88 (90.9%) persons; non-DM group 28/32 (87.5%) vs DM group 51/56 (91.1%); median healing time (21 [14, 42] days) and median treatment time; (56 [30, 86] days) were comparable between the non-DM and the DM groups. (Sixty-four patients (72.7%) had a significant pain reduction within 0-2 days. Median reduction of the VAS score after the first treatment was 2.0 points [0.0, 6.0] (non-DM group 3.5[1.0, 6.0]; DM group 2.0[0.0, 5.0] (p=0.0117)). Forty-eight (94, 4%) patients, 31(96.9%) non-DM group vs 53(94.6%) DM group (p=0.534)) had no limitations in daily activities by the affected toe after 14 days. There were no treatment-related complications like bleeding or infection. Conclusion: Spiculectomy and orthonyxia resulted in a high patient satisfaction. Five of 88 patients needed referral for a partial nail resection. This treatment seems to be very suiTable for persons with a high risk for foot ulcerations.