Treatment of genital warts by cryosurgery--a follow-up study.

This is a follow-up study involving 50 patients who were treated as outpatients for genital warts using cryosurgery. Single and multiple lesions involving the vulva, vagina and cervix were treated. A cryoprobe cooled to minus 70 degrees centigrade by liquid carbon dioxide and applied to the lesion for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes was used in the treatment. Nine pregnant patients in this study treated with cryosurgery did not experience any adverse effects on their pregnancies. There were no adverse side effects noted among the rest of the patients. All the patients with single wart were treated successfully with cryosurgery whereas those with multiple lesions were successfully treated in only 82 per cent of the patients. Four patients did not respond to treatment. Recurrence after cryosurgery within 3 months of therapy was noted in 2 patients. In conclusion, the treatment of genital warts by cryosurgery was found to be a safe and effect procedure.