High-energy 595 nm pulsed dye laser improves refractory port-wine stains.
BACKGROUND
Port-wine stains respond quite well to 585 nm pulsed dye laser treatment, but often clearance is not complete. We investigated a prototype, a high-energy 595 nm pulsed dye laser capable of delivering up to 9.5 J/cm2 using a 10 mm circular spot, with a 1.5 ms pulse duration.


OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to determine if the high-energy, 595 nm, variable-pulse duration pulsed dye laser could improve port-wine stains that had become refractory to conventional treatment.


METHODS
Twenty patients were entered into the study and treated with the high-energy, 595 nm, variable-pulse duration pulsed dye laser using fluences ranging from 7.5 to 9.5 J/cm2, a 1.5 ms pulse duration, and a 10 mm spot size.


RESULTS
Average improvement was rated as 40% prior to the initiation of the study after an average of 8.8 treatments at an average energy of 7.9 J/cm2 with the 585 nm pulsed dye laser and 76% following an average of 3.1 treatments with the high-energy 595 nm pulsed dye laser using an average fluence of 7.9 J/cm2. Dermal spectrometer erythema measurements improved from 2.2-fold that of normal skin to 1.5-fold that of unaffected skin.


CONCLUSIONS
The high-energy 595 nm pulsed dye laser improves port-wine stains that have become refractory to the conventional 585 nm pulsed dye laser.
Bernstein
Eric F
EF
Laser Surgery and Cosmetic Dermatology Centers, 504 Lippincott Drive, Marlton, NJ 08053, USA. Dermguy@hotmail.com
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019339:Port-Wine Stain / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019233:Retreatment; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome