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Neurofibromas can be treated either with coagulation lasers such as argon lasers or abrading lasers such as CO2-lasers or erbium:YAG lasers. In the nineties, treatment with the argon lasor was favored by Dr. Katalinic, who treated several hundred patients under genaral anaesthesia. It was believed that by treating small neurofibromas in such a manner, the growth of bigger neurofibromas in Morbus Recklinghausen could be avoided. Nowadays, this method is not employed anymore.
I have evaluated many cases where where neurofibromas were removed with the CO2-laser under general anesthesia. Results showed flat pocked locking scars, with underlying neurofibromas still palpable. Such treatment resulted in malpractice lawsuits.
However, there are case reports on the benefits of this treatment in individual cases. Raulin reports in his book: Laser und IPL-Technologie (lasers and IPL technology) on page 62 varying cosmetic results and recommends to always perform a small test therapy. He refers to further references by Becker, Kardoff, Katalinic and Roenigk.
Personally, I do not treat neurofibromas by laser because I believe that they bear no advantage compared to surgical therapy and on the contrary might lead to cosmetically disturbing scars if neurofibromas aren't removed in toto.
