Lateralplasty in the Treatment of Ingrown Toenails: Surgical Technique, Outcomes, and Predictors of Recurrence

Background: Lateralplasty is a minimally invasive method releasing the nail edge from soft tissue to reduce inflammation and granulation tissue. This study aimed to evaluate its effectiveness and clinical outcomes. Methods: This retrospective study included 33 toenails from 32 patients who underwent lateralplasty between 2018–2022. Demographic data, clinical features, VAS scores, cosmetic outcomes, recurrence, and complications were analyzed. Patients with fungal infections, thickened nails, or severe deformities were excluded. Surgical technique involved lateral nail fold release with non-absorbable sutures. VAS (0–10) and cosmetic scores (0–10 Likert scale) were recorded pre- and postoperatively. Results: A total of 27 patients (mean age: 27.5 ± 17 years; 63% male) were included. The right side was affected in 44%, and the left in 56%. Lesion locations were lateral (44%), medial (41%), and combined (15%). According to Heifetz classification, 44% were Stage 2 and 56% Stage 3; 78% presented with preoperative infection. The mean symptom duration was 9.1 ± 10.8 months. Postoperative pain scores significantly decreased from 3.4 to 0.84 on the VAS (p < 0.001). Cosmetic scores improved from 4.65 ± 1.1 to 7.1 ± 1.6 (p < 0.001). The recurrence rate was 14.8% (4/27). No statistically significant differences were identified between recurrence and non-recurrence groups regarding age (p = 0.277), gender (p = 0.097), lesion side (p = 0.809), location (p = 0.100), infection status (p = 0.257), or grading (p = 0.053). Univariate logistic regression revealed no significant predictors of recurrence (p > 0.05 for all variables). Conclusions: Lateralplasty is a minimally invasive, effective, and well-tolerated surgical technique for treating ingrown toenails. It may offer advantages including reduced postoperative pain, faster recovery, and better cosmetic results compared to the published literature of other studies on ingrown toenails.