A conservative method to gutter splint ingrown toenails.

A ConservativeMethod to Gutter Splint Ingrown Toenails Ingrown toenails can be due to trauma, improper nail cutting, and/or anatomic abnormalities of the nail apparatus. In the setting of normal anatomy, they are usually treated conservatively, but the presence of a sharp edge of the nail in the ulcer may prevent wound healing. Isolation of the nail plate from the ulcer bed using a gutter-shaped splint may improve healing.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. This method requires anesthesia.3-5 Herein, we describe a more conservative gutter technique that is less traumatic and does not require anesthesia.