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Review
. 2024 Jan-Feb;69(1):57-62.
doi: 10.4103/ijd.ijd_524_22. Epub 2024 Feb 27.

Photodynamic Therapy Combined with Liquid Nitrogen Cryotherapy and Curettage for the Treatment of Recalcitrant Periungual and Subungual Warts: Clinical Experience and Literature Review

Kuixia Xie  1 , Meihong Cheng  1 , Bo He  2 , Wei Li  1 , Wenying Zhong  1
Affiliations
Review

Photodynamic Therapy Combined with Liquid Nitrogen Cryotherapy and Curettage for the Treatment of Recalcitrant Periungual and Subungual Warts: Clinical Experience and Literature Review

Kuixia Xie et al. Indian J Dermatol. 2024 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and can involve multiple parts of skin and mucosa, of which periungual and subungual warts are the most difficult to treat. Periungual or subungual wart is verruca vulgaris growing around or under the fingernail, destroying and deforming the nail and nail bed. Currently, liquid nitrogen cryotherapy and CO2 laser are often used for the treatment. Clinically, few doctors routinely use photodynamic therapy (PDT) to treat viral warts. We used PDT combined with liquid nitrogen cryotherapy and curettage to successfully treat a case of intractable periungual and subungual warts.

Keywords: Curettage; liquid nitrogen cryotherapy; photodynamic therapy; recalcitrant periungual or subungual wart.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
One week after liquid nitrogen cryotherapy
Figure 2
Figure 2
Illumination for 20 min. First PDT: Pain reaction occurred during the illumination process, and we used an electric fan to cool down. Two-step illumination: 50 J/cm² for 5 min and 72 J/cm² for 15 min
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pretreatment before the third illumination. (a) The pretreatment steps are basically the same as the second treatment, (b) The plate around the wart is cut with a blade to facilitate the removal of the latent infection foci 3-hour fluorography of the third photodynamic application
Figure 4
Figure 4
Six months after treatment
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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