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- Author or Editor: Eric Bornstein x
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Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in potential phototherapy technologies for the local treatment of bacterial and fungal infection. Currently, onychomycosis is the principle disease that is the target of these phototherapies in podiatric medicine. Some of these technologies are currently undergoing in vitro and in vivo trials approved by institutional review boards. The three light-based technologies are ultraviolet light therapy, near infrared photo-inactivation therapy, and photothermal ablative antisepsis. Each of these technologies have markedly dissimilar mechanisms of action. In this review, each technology will be discussed from the perspectives of history, photobiology, individual mechanism of action, safety, and potential clinical efficacy, with data presented from published material. This review is intended to give podiatric physicians detailed information on state-of-the-art infectious disease phototherapy. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 99(4): 348–352, 2009)
Background: The Noveon is a unique dual-wavelength near-infrared diode laser used to treat onychomycosis. The device operates at physiologic temperatures that are thermally safe for human tissue. It uses only 870- and 930-nm near-infrared light, wavelengths that have unique photolethal effects on fungal pathogens. These wavelengths lack the teratogenic danger presented by ultraviolet light and the photoablation toxic plume associated with pulsed Nd:YAG lasers.
Methods: In this randomized controlled study, treatments followed a predefined protocol and laser parameters and occurred on days 1, 14, 42, and 120. Toes were cultured and evaluated, and measurements were taken from standardized photographs obtained periodically during the 180 day follow-up period.
Results: We treated mycologically confirmed onychomycosis in 26 eligible toes (ten mild, seven moderate, and nine severe). All of the patients were followed-up for 180 days. An independent expert panel, blinded regarding treatment versus control, found that at 180 days, 85% of the eligible treated toenails were improved by clear nail linear extent (P = .0015); 65% showed at least 3 mm and 26% showed at least 4 mm of clear nail growth. Of the 16 toes with moderate to severe involvement, ten (63%) improved, as shown by clear nail growth of at least 3 mm (P = .0112). Simultaneous negative culture and periodic acid–Schiff was noted in 30% at 180 days.
Conclusions: These results indicate a role for this laser in the treatment of onychomycosis, regardless of degree of severity. Ease of delivery and the lack of a need to monitor blood chemistry are attractive attributes. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 100(3): 166–177, 2010)
