Long-term evaluation of partial and total surgical and phenol matrixectomies.

Surgical matrixectomies and phenol alcohol matrixectomies have been effective in eliminating certain nail conditions. The complication rate is at an acceptable level; however, there is a need for comparison to other techniques, such as negative galvanism, trephine, osteotripsy, and laser ablation. Of the 353 patients in this study, two were known diabetics who were seen preoperatively by a vascular surgeon for vascular studies and by their internist. Both consultants agreed that the patients would heal. Both patients healed without complications. The author described the use of a modified Frost partial matrixectomy and modified Fowler total matrixectomy in this review. The phenol alcohol technique had a total complication rate of 9.6%, as did the partial matrixectomy. The total matrixectomy had an overall complication rate of 10.9%.