Surgical Management of Giant Condyloma Acuminata Involving Vulva, Perineum and Perianal Area

Abstract

Condyloma acuminata (CA), also known as anogenital warts, are benign proliferative epidermal and/or mucosal lesions usually caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) type 6 and 11. They initially manifest as variable sized and shaped soft papules or plaques on anogenital skin. However, they can grow as a large, bulky, lobulated growth. Lesions are commonly multiple and multifocal, affecting the vulva, perianal, vaginal and cervical regions. They represent the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) and are highly contagious. Further, the incidence of CA is 5-7fold higher in Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients compared to immunocompetent patients. The HIV infection reduces the local immune control of HPV infection thus favours the proliferation of the HPV which results into large sized CA. The giant condyloma acuminata (GCA) and giant condyloma of Buschke-Löwenstein (GCBL) are uncommon variants of classical condyloma acuminata (CCA) which can reach the size of 10 to 30 cm. The treatment of CA should be individualized and based upon the extent of disease and treatment availability. The small CA which present as papules or plaques can be treated by Podophyllin, Imiquimod, electrosurgical ablation or cryotherapy. However, GCA require excision with cold knife, electrosurgery or CO2 laser. When the base of GCA is narrow, surgical excision with minimal skin loss allows primary closure of the wound, whereas when the base is broad and relatively fixed, one must keep the differential diagnoses of GCA versus GCBL which require wide excision and reconstruction of the tissue. This case report illustrates the surgical management of GCA with broad base in a 44-year-old female patient with HIV infection. She was treated by wide surgical excision followed by reconstruction of the defect with fascio-cutaneous V-Y advancement flaps. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of condyloma acuminatum. Six months following surgery, she had recurrence of a perianal wart that was cauterized. On further 12 month follow up there was no new recurrence of any condylomatous lesion.