[Onychomycosis: experiences with atraumatic nail avulsion].

Patients with onychomycosis (tinea) of finger- and toenails underwent combined treatment: avulsion of nail plate, local antimycotic and systemic griseofulvin treatment. Avulsion of the involved nails was performed by the patients themselves chemo-mechanically using 50% KI-ointment. 1,500 nails were successfully removed. Out of 250 patients 101 were clinically and mycologically cured after a median delay of 6.5 months. Only 50% of the 101 patients remained cured up to one year after cessation of therapy. Atraumatic nail avulsion in combination with chemotherapy is a reliable, inexpensive, painless, and effective alternative method to surgical excision treating onychomycosis.