[Treatment of port-wine stains with the flash lamp pumped dye laser. 5 years of clinical experience].
OBJECTIVE
Portwine stains are reported to occur in 2.8% of the newborn. Depending on the location and size, portwine stains can be disfiguring and may lead to psychosocial complications. They can be safely and successfully treated with the flashlamp pumped pulsed dye laser (FPDL). Our objective was to evaluate retrospectively the efficacy of the FPDL (450 microseconds, 585 nm, 5 and 7 mm) after five years of clinical experience with this laser.


METHODS
Between 1993-1998 in 961 patients with port-wine stains laser treatment was performed in the department of dermatology of the university of Regensburg.


RESULTS
Total clearance of the portwine stain was recorded in 6.9% of the patients. In 40.4% of the patients 75-95% clearance and in 38.5% 50-75% clearance was observed. In 14.2% response was less than 50%. Laser therapy was more effective for lesions of the neck and trunk than for lesions on the head and extremities. Better results were found after laser therapy of light-red or red portwine stains compared to dark red and violaceus portwine stains. In children (less than 3 year old), clearance of more than 75% occurred significantly more often than in older patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Since laser treatment in early childhood is more effective than treatment at a later age, a smaller number of treatment sessions is necessary and lower recurrence rates can be expected, laser treatment should be started in early childhood. Side effects were rare after FPDL treatment. This study underlines that the FPDL is a safe and successful treatment for portwine stains with rare side effects. But total clearance can only be reached in a small number of patients.
Wimmershoff
M B
MB
Dermatologische Klinik der Universität Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg.
Wenig
M
M
Hohenleutner
U
U
Landthaler
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000601:surgery*