Treatment of a resistant port-wine stain with a new variable pulse-duration pulsed-dye laser.
OBJECTIVE
Because of the heterogeneity in port-wine stains, a number of them prove resistant to treatment with the pulsed-dye laser (PDL). A new variable pulse-duration PDL improves a refractory port-wine stain.


METHODS
A 26-year-old man with a congenital port-wine stain underwent eight treatments with the 1.5-ms pulse-duration PDL resulting in minimal improvement. A single treatment was then administered with the 3-ms pulse-duration PDL.


RESULTS
Initial results of treatment with the 3-ms pulse-duration PDL on this patient's port-wine stain show dramatic clearance in areas previously treated with significantly higher fluences, an identical spot size, but with a pulse duration half as long.


CONCLUSIONS
Vessel heterogeneity may require changing pulse durations once a port-wine stain or a portion of a port-wine stain becomes refractory to given pulse-duration.
Bernstein
Eric F
EF
Laser Surgery and Cosmetic Dermatology Centers, Bryn Mawr, PA, USA. dermguy@hotmail.com
D000328:Adult; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D054025:Lasers, Dye / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D019339:Port-Wine Stain / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D019233:Retreatment; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology