Comparative Clinical Efficacy between Electrodesiccation with Curettage and Application of 80% Phenol Solution in Treatment of Common Warts

BACKGROUND: Common warts are skin diseases caused by human papillomavirus. Several treatment modalities available for common warts, two of them are electrodesiccation with curettage and application of 80% phenol solution. AIM: This study aims to compare clinical efficacy between these two modalities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Open clinical trial was conducted at Dr Pirngadi General Hospital Medan and H. Adam Malik General Hospital Medan from February to June 2013 on 17 patients with multiple common warts. Both treatments began and applied simultaneously on the same day on each patient. RESULTS: Cure rate was higher in electrodesiccation with curettage (76.5%, 100%) compared to the application of 80% phenol solution (11.8%, 64.7%) on three weeks and six weeks of follow up. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference of common warts cure rate between electrodesiccation with curettage and application of 80% phenol solution after three weeks (p < 0.001) and six weeks (p = 0.018) of treatment. CONCLUSION: As a conclusion, electrodesiccation with curettage has higher cure rate than the application of 80% phenol solution on the treatment of common warts. Further study is needed to find out the best concentration and time interval for application of phenol solution to improve its clinical efficacy as an alternative treatment of choice for common warts.