Treatment of porokeratosis of Mibelli with CO2 laser vaporization versus surgical excision with split-thickness skin graft. A comparison.
BACKGROUND
Porokeratosis of Mibelli has been treated with many topical surgical modalities in the past, including cold steel surgical excision and CO2 laser excision. We report a patient with an 8 x 10 cm2 plaque of porokeratosis on the dorsum of his hand, fingers, and web spaces.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the treatment results of CO2 laser vaporization versus cold steel surgical excision with split-thickness skin graft placement.


METHODS
The portions of the lesion overlying the metacarpophalangeal joints, fingers, and web spaces were treated with CO2 laser vaporization. The remainder of the lesion covering the dorsum of the hand was excised with cold steel, followed by placement of a split-thickness skin graft over that area.


RESULTS
The portion of the porokeratosis lesion treated with CO2 vaporization healed with results cosmetically and functionally superior to the grafted area.


CONCLUSIONS
Carbon dioxide laser vaporization, a more superficial treatment modality than CO2 laser excision, should be the preferred treatment modality for porokeratosis lesions.
Rabbin
P E
PE
Department of Dermatology, State University of New York-Health Science Center, Brooklyn 11203.
Baldwin
H E
HE
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D017499:Porokeratosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016038:Skin Transplantation