title: Treatment of vascular lesions in the head and neck using Nd:YAG laser.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vascular lesions in the head and neck region, including both haemangiomas and vascular malformations, are common and many different treatment modalities have been used for their removal. In the past decade, the Nd:YAG laser has emerged as a new mode of treatment for vascular lesions, and the purpose of this paper was to determine its clinical value.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was conducted in 111 patients with vascular lesions in the head and neck region. They were treated with the Nd:YAG laser by photocoagulation. Of these, 96 had small lesions, with surface diameters of less than 3 x 3cm(2), and 5 had large lesions, with surface diameters of more than 3 x 3cm(2). The patients were all followed-up carefully until complete healing was recorded, along with any complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both groups of patients, tissue sloughing occurred within 2-3 days. Healing time in small lesions was 2-3 weeks, and in large lesions 3-4 weeks. Three patients with small lesions and one patient with a large lesion experienced minor complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Nd:YAG laser is a safe and effective tool for treating vascular lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia. ales.vesnaver@kclj.si
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vesnaver
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dovsak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000002:abnormalities; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000601:surgery; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D008046:Lip / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010159:Palate / Q000098:blood supply; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014059:Tongue / Q000098:blood supply; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology