Dr. Kirby Demonstrates Verrucae Plantaris Needling Technique

Falknor first described needling of plantar's warts (i.e. verrucae plantaris) 47 years ago (Falknor GW: Needling-a new technique in verruca therapy: a case report. JAPA, 59:51-52, 1969). Dr. Kirby demonstrates the needling technique on a 49 year-old male patient with three discrete verrucae plantaris lesions on the plantar aspect of his 1st metatarsal head. Total time from the completion of the local anesthetic injection to the first needling of the procedure was about four minutes. The proposed mechanism of action of the needling technique is to drive the virus into the bloodstream of the patient to "auto-innoculate" the patient so that the patient's immune system will recognize the verrucae virus and rid themselves of the verrucae plantar lesions. The technique is safe and works very well also for mosaic verrucae. Verrucae plantaris lesions that are not needled will often also respond to the treatment, but at a slightly slower rate than the needled lesions. Typically, a single folded 4 x 4" sterile gauze pad is applied to the surgical site along with a elastic cohesive wrap (e.g. Coban) to hold it in place. The patient can shower or bathe normally that night. Patients will have a minimal amount of pain with the needling procedure and can play sports the day following the procedure.