Pincer Nail Deformity Treated with Widening of the Nail Bed / 대한피부과학회지

Pincer nail deformity is a nail deformity characterized by a transverse overcurvature of the nail plate, which increases along the longitudinal axis. Many conservative and surgical treatment modalities have been reported. Conservative methods can be difficult to use in cases of severe deformity because of their high recurrence rate. Therefore, surgical techniques, including nail matricectomy or correction of the nail bed, have been preferred in these cases. Matricectomy is generally considered as the surgical treatment of pincer nail deformity because of low recurrence rate in the field of dermatology. However, poor cosmetic results (e.g. narrowing of nail plate) are frequently observed. We present here a case of pincer nail deformity in the left great toe in a 57-year-old man who was treated successfully with widening of the nail bed without matricectomy. This method is an effective surgical technique preserving the nail matrix for the correction of pincer nail deformity.

Correction of Pincer Nail Deformity Using Dermal Grafting

Pincer nail deformity is characterized by excessive curvature and distortion of the nail in the transverse dimension, and particularly at the distal part of the nail plate. This deformity leads to pinching off and loss of soft tissue in the affected digit, causing severe pain. Many treatment methods have been proposed; however, an effective long-term method preserving the nail matrix has not yet been established. We present here a case of pincer nail in the left thumb in a 49-year-old woman who was treated successfully with dermal grafting under the nail bed. We describe the surgical method and the treatment results. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the Korean medical literature on the use of dermal grafting for the treatment of pincer nail deformity.