Chromomycosis: Report of a Case and Management by Cryosurgery, Topical Chemotherapy, and Conventional Surgery

Abstract

A case of chromomycosis caused by Fonsecaea pedrosoi is described in a woman who had lived in Angola for 23 years.

Treatment of chromomycosis by cryosurgery with liquid nitrogen: 15 years’ experience

“…The first study involving a large number of patients and follow‐up periods of up to 9 years appeared in 1989 9 . From 1973 to 1989, an additional 18 cases of CM cured by cryosurgery with liquid nitrogen were reported 9–12 . More recently, publications from Thailand and Mexico have described a good outcome with the combination of cryosurgery with liquid nitrogen and oral ITZ 13,14 .…”

Chromoblastomycosis

“…The most frequent adverse events related to cryotherapy include local pain, edema, blisters, postinflammatory hypopigmentation, hypertrophic scars, and secondary bacterial infection. In order to avoid dissemination of lesions to adjacent areas after cryotherapy, antifungal drugs, e.g., ITZ or TBF, should be administered in combination with physical methods (271,272). In general, cryotherapy is convenient, cost-effective, and efficient but requires perseverance from both the patient and the physician.…”

Thermotherapy in dermatologic infections

“…Dating back to the early 1970s, there has been considerable experience with cryotherapy in the treatment of chromomycosis. [117][118][119][120][121][122][123][124] Treatment typically consists of two freeze/thaw cycles with a total thaw time of around 2 minutes per cycle with liquid nitrogen delivered via an open-spray method for one to several treatment sessions, depending on the area of involvement. Recurrences following cryotherapy are common, although prolonged cure may be more attainable when systemic antifungals, such as itraconazole, are added to the cryotherapy regimen.…”