`Pocket-Warmer' Therapy of Chromomycosis

Abstract

To the Editor.— Recently, we examined a patient with chromomycosis who showed an excellent response to persistent heat-pack therapy with a pocket warmer. Report of a Case.— In March 1976, a 53-year-old farmer was referred to our clinic for treatment of a skin eruption on the right forearm (Fig 1). Other clinical findings were normal. Histologically, a specimen of the lesion showed dark-brown, thick-walled spores of the fungus among marked granulomatous changes. A colony of Fonsecaea pedrosoi (Fig 2) grew from a culture of the tissue fragment on Sabouraud's glucose agar. We tentatively started continuous local heat therapy with a pocket warmer that was bandaged directly to the patient's arm at the lesion. No other medication was used. The eruption became flat in only four days, and complete healing of the lesion was confirmed after nine weeks. No recurrence was observed during the following year. Comment.— Conti-Diaz 1 has confirmed