Is Cryosurgery or Curettage More Effective at Treating Seborrheic Keratoses?

Penn State Health

Status: Completed

Conditions: Seborrheic Keratosis

Treatments: Procedure: Curettage; Procedure: cryosurgery

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01159860

IRB Protocol No. 33895

Details and patient eligibility

About

Seborrheic keratoses (SK's) are very common, but harmless skin lesions that commonly appear during adult life. Patients with seborrheic keratoses frequently desire treatment due to symptoms of itching and irritation or for cosmetic purposes. Seborrheic keratoses can be easily removed and have been treated in a number of different ways. Two of the simplest and most successful ways to remove seborrheic keratoses are cryosurgery and curettage.

The investigators are conducting this study to see which of these two treatments has the best result.

Approximately 24-30 people will take part in this research study at the Hershey Medical Center.

Enrollment: 25 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 75 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• have at least 1 seborrheic keratosis on each side of his/her trunk or proximal extremities.
• be able to understand the consent form and evaluation of treatment questionnaire.

Exclusion criteria

• Children <18 are excluded from this study based on their inability to independently complete the informed consent and research associated questionnaire.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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25 participants in 2 patient groups

Cryosurgery

Active Comparator group

Description:

One lesion on the patients' trunk or proximal extremities will be treated with cryosurgery.

Treatment:

Procedure: cryosurgery

Curettage

Active Comparator group

Description:

One lesion on one side of the patients' trunk or proximal extremities will be treated by curettage.

Treatment:

Procedure: Curettage