cryotherapy is a technique that may be used in the treatment of viral warts
freezing of the wart is achieved via the use of liquid nitrogen - a temperature of -196 degrees centigrade can be achieved
cryotherapy is believed to cause cell damage via intracellular ice formation, blood supply changes, osmotic effects and immune stimulation. Cryotherapy does not kill the virus via the cold temperature - it destroys the tissue in which the virus lives
number of treatments to cure viral wart - about 75% of patients are cured after 4 treatments administered at 3-weekly intervals (1)
disadvantages of this form of treatment include:
absence of histology - therefore diagnosis cannot be confirmed
often painful
possible serious complications of cryotherapy include hypopigmentation, scarring, damage to underlying nerves, tendon rupture, risk of ulcer development (2)
Reference:
(1) Lawrence C. An introduction to dermatological surgery. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1996.
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