Superficial cryotherapy - an effective therapeutic modality for ingrown toenail

Objective: To evaluate efficacy of topical cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen as an alternative modality for ingrown toenails

Methods: A total of 39 ingrown toenails in 30 patients were enrolled in the study; Grading was done and superficial cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen was done weekly for 4 weeks on the affected nails. Patients were followed up for 24 weeks

Results: At 24 weeks follow-up, 29 nails in 22 patients showed complete clearance with no recurrence; while rest needed some other modalities like partial nail avulsion / complete nail avulsion. Only 2 nails out of 31 completely cured nails showed recurrence during follow-up period of 24 weeks. Patients who did not improve were patients with grade III ingrown nail or grade IIb ingrown nail

Conclusion: Superficial cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen has been found to be an effective therapeutic modality for ingrown toenail

study of clinical and biochemical correlation in patients of psoriasis in acute exacerbation

To document various biochemical parameters like serum calcium, uric acid etc. and correlate them clinically. An attempt was made to detect the biochemical changes during its exacerbations. Fifty biopsy proven psoriasis patients were selected. Clinical examination and the various biochemical tests were performed at the time of enrollment and at the end of eight weeks of treatment. There were significant alterations in different biochemical values in patients before and after treatment. With clinical improvement there was shift of biochemical parameters towards normal value. Hyperuricemia was seen in 16% patients and hypocalcaemia was seen in 10% of patients. With improvement of clinical picture, a shift of biochemical values towards normal was recorded.

clinical profile of psoriatic arthropathy

Psoriatic arthropathy [PA] is defined as the association of psoriasis of skin and / or nails with peripheral and / or spinal arthropathy and usually with a negative serological test for rheumatoid factor. 50 psoriatic patients with arthropathy and a negative rheumatoid factor were taken for the study. Commonest type of joint involvement was distal interphalangeal joint seen in 44% patients followed by asymmetric oligoarthritis in 40% patients, arthritis mutilans in 6% cases and sacroiliac joint involvement in 2% cases. Nail involvement was seen in 60% cases. In most cases [56%] it was skin involvement followed by arthritis. Hypocalcemia was seen in 60% patients and hyperuricemia was seen in 14% patients. Distal interphalangeal and asymmetric arthritis are most common types of psoriatic arthropathy. Nail involvement is frequent. Skin disease usually precedes arthropathy

Nail changes in psoriasis - a profile

Nail involvement in psoriasis is quite common and is seen in 50% of all cases. For the present study, we selected 100 patients of psoriasis with nail changes coming from various walks of life. The data was collected and statistical analysis of the data was done. Pitting was the most common finding in psoriasis, accounting for 70% cases. Next most common nail changes were onycholysis in 52% and subungual hyperkeratosis in 40%cases. Discoloration was found in 25% cases followed by paronychia in l0% cases. Splinter hemorrhages were seen in 12% and Beau's lines were observed in 14% cases. Nail changes are frequently observed in psoriatic patients which are usually pitting, onycholysis and subungual hyperkeratosis