Evaluation of combined treatment with long-pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser and potassium hydroxide for the treatment of recalcitrant wart: a prospective comparative study

Abstract

Background: Lasers have been used for verruca treatment in recent years with successful results in some types. In addition, peeling processes have been used to enhance penetration in some studies.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate combined treatment with LP Nd:YAG laser and KoH for the treatment of recalcitrant wart.

Methods: This study included 132 lesions from 38 patients. Long-pulsed (LP) Nd:YAG laser was applied to 66 lesions with daily 10% KOH application at night, and the remaining 66 lesions underwent LP Nd:YAG laser therapy only.

Results: Both groups showed statistically significant regressions in the size of the lesions at the end of the fifth session compared with those present at the onset of therapy (p < .05). Also, complete clearance of the lesions was noticed after 2.2 sessions in the combined therapy group, and after 3.1 sessions in the LP Nd:YAG laser group (p < .05).

Conclusions: Although the difference in clearance rate between the combined therapy group and the LP Nd:YAG laser group could not be detected after the fifth session, adding KOH to LP Nd:YAG laser can decrease the number of treatment sessions to a large extent.

Keywords:

• Wart
• long-pulsed Nd:YAG
• potassium hydroxide

Disclosure statement

The authors declared that there was no conflict of interest.