The Efficacy of Duct Tape vs Cryotherapy in the Tr

Authors: Dean R Focht III Carole Spicer Mary P Fairchok

Publish Date: 2002/10/01

Volume: 156, Issue: 10, Pages: 971-974

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Abstract

Intervention  Patients were randomized using computergenerated codes to receive either cryotherapy liquid nitrogen applied to each wart for 10 seconds every 23 weeks for a maximum of 6 treatments or duct tape occlusion applied directly to the wart for a maximum of 2 months Patients had their warts measured at baseline and with return visitsResults  Of the 51 patients completing the study 26 51 were treated with duct tape and 25 49 were treated with cryotherapy Twentytwo patients 85 in the duct tape arm vs 15 patients 60 enrolled in the cryotherapy arm had complete resolution of their warts P = 05 by χ2 analysis The majority of warts that responded to either therapy did so within the first month of treatmentVERRUCA VULGARIS the common wart is a common pediatric complaint occurring in 5 to 10 of all pediatric patients1 Warts are benign growths caused by the human papillomaviruses They can occur on any epithelialized surface of the body The peak incidence is between the ages of 12 and 16 years Although two thirds of all warts in children will resolve spontaneously without treatment within 2 years2 patients frequently request treatment to hasten the resolution

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