Estudo de casos de pacientes portadores de onicomicose tratados com laser Nd:YAG 1.064 nm

• Autor(a) principal: Espírito Santo, Rachel Bertolani do
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (riUfes)
• Texto Completo: http://repositorio.ufes.br/handle/10/1127
• topic: Onicomicose; Terapia a laser; Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias; 61

Onychomycosis is the most common nail disease, with an estimated prevalence rate between 2 and 8% of the population. Current treatment strategies include the use of oral and topical antifungals, both having usually low cure rates. The aims of this study were to evaluate the therapeutic response to the 1.064 nm Nd:YAG laser in the treatment of onychomycosis, to evaluate the clinical assessment method of such therapy and the possible side-effects of the use of laser. The records of 20 patients undergoing laser therapy were reviewed. A total of 34 affected nails were assessed according to the Onychomycosis Severity Index (OSI). This index examines the nail involvement area, the proximity of the disease to the nail matrix, the occurrence of dermatophytoma and the presence of subungual hyperkeratosis > 2 mm, generating a score that ranks onychomycosis as mild, moderate or severe. Determination of the OSI was performed before treatment and after in a follow-up period of 8 months on average. The comparison between the Initial and the Final OSI in the 34 nails undergoing laser therapy showed significant difference, with, however, weak association between those variables. In relation to the involvement area and the numerical score regarding the OSI there was, in general, a reduction in these measurements. These data indicate a trend towards the improvement of onychomycosis by means of treating with the 1.064 nm Nd:YAG laser. The OSI provided an adequate clinical analysis of the response to the laser therapy. The local side-effects experienced during the laser application did not cause accentuated discomfort in most patients, thus demonstrating that the treatment is well tolerated.