Which procedure permanently removes some or all of the nail plate by cutting out the root?

• A. Excisional matrixectomy
• B. Nail avulsion
• C. Nail matrixectomy
• D. Ingrown nail

Answer: (A)

The key idea is removing the tissue that makes the nail. The nail matrix, located under the proximal nail fold, is the root that produces the nail plate. Excisional matrixectomy achieves permanent removal by surgically excising the nail matrix (the root) along with the corresponding portion of the nail plate. Because the matrix is cut out, nail production stops in that area, so that portion of the nail does not regrow. Nail avulsion, in contrast, merely lifts and removes the visible nail plate while leaving the matrix intact, so the nail can regrow. The term matrixectomy can also refer to destroying the matrix by other means, but the phrase “cutting out the root” describes the excisional approach. An ingrown nail is a condition being treated, not the procedure itself.