Efficacy of erbium glass laser in the treatment of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis: A case series

Background Treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis remains a challenge; new physical treatment modalities including laser systems are of interest in the treatment of localized lesions. Method Fourteen patients (10 females) with 20 lesions of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis underwent weekly treatments of 1540 nm erbium glass fractional laser (Palomar) using 10 mm spot size hand piece in four passes of 50-70 mJ/cm(2) fluence and 10 ms pulse duration. Results Twelve lesions were available for assessment: six (50%) improved at 6 weeks and eleven lesions (91.7%) at 12 weeks. There were no recurrences at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Conclusion Erbium glass fractional laser may be an alternative treatment for localized cases of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis.