Nail Gutter Treatment

Formable acrylic treatment for ingrowing nail with gutter splint and sculptured nail.

Nail gutter treatment.

The gutter is left in place for eight to 12 weeks and then removed by the patient. Isolation of the nail plate from the ulcer bed using a gutter shaped splint may improve healing. Results acrylic treatment with gutter splint and sculptured nail was found to be vastly superior to the other methods described especially in the ability to firmly affix the gutter splint and sculptured nail for the extended period required for treatment. Conservative methods utilizing formable acrylics are highly beneficial in the treatment of an ingrowing nail and should be viewed as the first treatment option.

Thegutter treatment principles of treatment the gutter treatment was designed to relieve painandpermithealingofthe lateral nail groovebyprotecting it fromthetraumait is subjectedto byanirregular or ingrowingnail. Surgical treatments are preferred in moderate or severe cases grades. The gutter treatment for ingrowing toenails consists of introducing a small guard along the side of the toenail and requires only three outpatient attendances. 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.

Two studies were carried out to establish the long term results of the method.