Gutter Splint For Ingrown Toenail

Conservative approaches for the treatment of ingrown toenails without infection include placing a cotton wisp dental floss or gutter splint with or without acrylic nail under the ingrown nail.

Gutter splint for ingrown toenail.

A conservative method to gutter splint ingrown toenails ingrown toenails can be due to trauma improper nail cutting and or anatomic abnormalities of the nail apparatus. Isolation of the nail plate from the ulcer bed using a gutter shaped splint may improve healing. Toenail splinting the referenced article describes splinting the toenail essentially lifting the offending edge of the toenail so subsequent growth does not push into the tissue. Anesthetize the toe either by topical anesthetic or by nerve blocks not always necessary for mild cases.

In the setting of normal anatomy they are usually treated conservatively but the presence of a sharp edge of the nail in the ulcer may prevent wound healing. 1 2 in the classic gutter splint method the ingrown edge of the nail plate is freed up to the extreme proximal part and then splinted using a gutter. In the classic gutter splint method the ingrown edge of the nail plate is freed up to the extreme proximal part and then splinted using a gutter. Herein we describe a more conservative gutter technique that is less traumatic and does not require anesthesia.

Trick of the trade.