Nail Surgery :

Nail avulsion is the most common surgical procedure performed on the nail unit. It is the excision of the body of the nail plate from its primary attachments, the nail bed and the nail folds.

Avulsion of the nail plate may be used as a preliminary step before performing biopsy on the nail bed and the nail matrix, to allow full examination and exploration of the nail bed, matrix, the nail folds and the nail grooves for the presence of pathology. It is also used for the treatment of ingrown toe nail, warts, fungal infection of the nail(onychomycosis), chronic paronychia, nail tumors.

Nail plate avulsion can be total in which the nail plate is removed completely or partial where only a portion of the nail plate is removed. The procedure is carried out under local anesthesia.

A common indication for nail avulsion is ingrown toe nail repair. An ingrown toenail is a nail that has pierces (or is pressing against) the adjacent skin of the toe causing pain and inflammation and sometimes infection.

Surgery may be require when an ingrown toenail repeatedly gets infected, is continually painful, the sufferer is unable to wear shoes or the condition inhibits work, sporting or other activities. Partial nail avulsion followed by application of a chemical or Radiofrequency/ CO2 laser ablation is done to prevent recurrences.