A Novel Method for the Treatment of Fungal Nail Disease with 1064 nm Nd:YAG

Yegor V. Kolodchenko, Vasyl I. Baetul
Pages: 42-47

A novel laser method for the treatment of fungal nail disease with 1064 nm Nd:YAG was clinically evaluated on a Ukrainian patient population. 108 patients exhibiting 312 infected nails were treated with 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser (SP Dynamis, Fotona, Slovenia) at a single clinical site over a period of two years (2010-2012). All patient were diagnosed with one of four types onychomycosis, caused by various fungi. Diagnoses were performed by laboratory testing of mycotic cultures. All patients received four sessions of laser treatment and were again checked by laboratory tests at 3 and 6 months after the treatment. Any patients found to have positive cultures at 3-month follow-ups were retreated.

In addition to laboratory checks at 3 and 6 months, patients were also clinically inspected at 3, 6 and 12 months, when photographs of all treated nails were taken and clearance of the nail plates and thus clinical improvement was evaluated by two physicians. Discomfort during treatment was evaluated by patients and potential side effects were monitored. At the 12-month follow-up, 89 patients (82.4%) were cured; 80 of which (74.1%) had negative fungal cultures and 9 (8.3%) showed clinical improvement, while 19 patients (17.6%) were non-responsive to the therapy.

Only mild discomfort during treatment was recorded and there were no other adverse effects. The study results showed that 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser treatment of onychomycosis is an effective and safe therapy that may be used in a broad spectrum of patients, including some groups of patients not suitable for systemic antifungal therapies.

Key words: nails fungal infection, onychomycosis, Nd:YAG laser, laser treatment

Article: J. LA&HA, Vol. 2013, No.1; pp. 42-47.

A Novel Method for the Treatment of Fungal Nail Disease with 1064 nm Nd:YAG