DOUGLAS GAILLARD, PA-C
Medical Practice at 24 Ave, Nashville, TN

5437679, Aug 1, 1995

May 31, 1994

8/251390

Douglas S. Gaillard - Nashville TN

A45D 2902

606131

A nail splitter for splitting a ingrown toenail in order to remove the severed portion of the nail from the soft tissue of the digit and allow the nail to grow back flat to prevent further irritation of the soft tissue of the digit. The device is of a scissor or plier type structure having an elongated, flat separator tongue with a rounded tip and a sharp blade connected to the separator tongue by a hinged connection. The blade overlies the flat separator tongue and can be pressured to make a slicing engagement with the upper side of the separator tongue to sever the nail between the separator tongue and the blade. The tip of the blade has a hawk-nosed configuration that overlies the rounded nose of the separator tongue when the blade is pressed into engagement position. The hawk-nosed tip of the blade overlies the rounded nose of the flat depressor tongue so that the structure can be pushed beneath the cuticle of the toe without severing the cuticle to reach the base of the nail and a second cutting action can be performed to sever the portion of the nail beneath the cuticle. Once the entire nail has been separated, the hawk-nosed tip of the blade can be maneuvered to engage the severed portion of the nail to assist in removing it from the soft tissue of the digit.