Efficacy of Surgical vs. Conservative Treatment in HPV Plantar Warts: A Cohort Study

Plantar warts are a high reason for consultation in our daily clinic. There are multiple and varied treatments to eliminate this viral tumor in the foot, although each treatment also presents different results and effectiveness. The goal was to compare the efficacy of surgical treatment vs. conservative treatment of plantar warts, in aspects such as treatment time and number of cures.

This was a cohort study with a sample of 72 lesions (N = 72). The effectiveness of plantar wart surgery was evaluated and compared to conservative treatments (nitric acid, bleomycin, and a combination of both). Conservative treatments were applied once a week until complete healing. The surgical removal of the wart and its closure was a secondary intention.

Overall, 30% of the injuries were treated surgically and the rest conservatively. The clinical resolution varied between 4 and 393 days, with a mean of 51.8 (SD 65.9) days. Conservative treatment times increase by 1.9 days compared to the surgical recovery time, which on a practical level means 21.9 days compared to 70.1 days.

The excision of the plantar wart reduces the duration of the treatment by around 50% compared to conservative treatments; these findings could be considered in clinical practice when choosing a treatment.