Minimizing Postoperative Drainage with 20% Ferric Chloride After Chemical Matricectomy with Phenol

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Phenol used in partial matricectomy shows its effects by denaturing matrix proteins. This highly successful method has the major problem of oozing which can continue for 5-6 weeks. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine the effect of 20% ferric chloride (FC) (FeCl3) on minimizing the oozing after chemical matricectomy with phenol. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients with stage III onychocryptosis were treated by chemical matricectomy with 90% aqueous phenol. In 32 of these patients FC was applied to the nail bed after the phenolization procedure. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant (P <.001) reduction of oozing in the FC-applied group of patients. CONCLUSION: We think that using FC after phenol chemical matricectomy results in a significant reduction in oozing from the operation site.