Treatment of genital warts by using CO2 laser

Abstract EN

Background: Genital wart is the most common viral sexually transmitted disease.

In fact, its incidence is rising rapidly.

It is approximated that 30%–50% of sexually active adult have human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, but only 1%–2% of them have apparent genital wart.

Mostly, cervical dysplasia and cancer are associated with oncogenic HPV types.

HPV types are classified into high‑, intermediate‑, and low‑risk group.

HPV Types 16 and 18 are considered as a high‑risk group cancer‑associated HPVs, whereas Types 6 and 11 concerned as a low risk and HPV types 31, 33, and 35 have an intermediate association with cancer.

Objective: The objective of the study was designed to evaluate the activity of CO2 laser to treat genital warts of female Iraqi patients.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen female patients with genital warts were involved in this study.

Their age range from 22 to 49 years treated by CO2 laser at the Laser Medicine Research Clinics of Institute of Laser for Postgraduate Studies from July 2017 to end of July 2018.

Application of topical lidocaine cream 10% for 30 min or local infiltration of 2% xylocaine had been performed.

CO2 laser in chopped mode was used with a peak power: 151 watts and repeated time 35 s in D mode, pulse duration 1.3 ms.

Treatments by vaporization of the warts were done in one session except one patient with a large number and multiple locations two sessions were done.

Results: Three patients expressed mild pain during the procedure, but it could be tolerated by them.

No edema or oozing observed during the 1st week.

No postoperative infections or scars.

Two cases of recurrence 2/15, (13.3%) after few months from treatment.

Conclusion: CO2 laser vaporization is an effective and safe method for treatment of genital warts and can be done in the outpatient clinic.