Therapeutic outcomes of one‐minute application of sodium hydroxide versus phenol in the chemical cauterization of ingrown toenails

Abstract

Background Ingrown nails are frequently encountered in dermatology practice. The recurrence tendency of the disorder makes chemical cauterization essential during surgical procedures. In studies comparing nail matrix cauterization with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) versus phenol, phenol's application time was highly variable. Objective To compare the therapeutic outcomes of matrix cauterization for a standard duration of one minute for NaOH versus phenol in stage II and III ingrown nails. Material and methods The medical records of patients undergoing matrix cauterization with 10% NaOH or 88% phenol were evaluated. The primary outcome measure was the lack of recurrences on long‐term follow‐up. The secondary outcome measures were complete healing duration, patient‐reported pain scores, and adverse effects related to the procedure. Results Enrolled in this study were 62 ingrown toenail sides treated with 10% NaOH and 56 ingrown toenail sides treated with 88% phenol. The mean follow‐up duration was 25.17 months. Recurrence was observed in four nail sides of the NaOH group (%6.45) and three nail sides of the phenol group (%5.35). The difference between the recurrence rates did not reach statistical significance. Patients treated with both methods were free of pain on the post‐procedural tenth day. The visual analog scale pain scores and complete healing duration were similar between the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion In a large group with long‐term follow‐up results, the short‐term and long‐term post‐operative treatment outcomes were similar between the one‐minute applications of 10% NaOH versus 88% phenol groups.

Comparative study between nail retraining with gauze bandaging and the nail remodeling with acrylics as a conservative treatment for stage I and IIa onychocryptosis

“…Surgical techniques of ingrown toenails involve removal of the affected side of the nail and matricectomy, often with phenol, 16 sodium hydroxide 17 or wedge resection 18 but may have certain disadvantages, such as prolonged wound healing or infection, 19 restriction of everyday activities, scars, or deformations. Various authors have reported that patients prefer conservative treatments over invasive surgical procedures 20–22 .…”