Combined carbon dioxide laser and bipolar electrocoagulation: another option to treat rhinophyma.
Rhinophyma is a progressive and disfiguring disorder of the nose characterized by hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands and dermal tissue, representing the end-stage of rosacea. Four male patients affected by a moderate-severe rhinophyma were treated using a combined therapy with carbon dioxide laser and bipolar electrocoagulation. All patients achieved marked cosmetic results with minimal scarring. Various surgical approaches have been described to treat this condition but as yet there is no agreement in the literature on the ideal treatment. This combined method provides a bloodless operative field which allows the sculpting of the hypertrophic areas, leading to a good cosmetic outcome and a pain-free postoperative recovery.
Clinic of Dermatology, University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal. mariana.cravo@netcabo.pt
Mariana
M
Cravo
Maria
M
Miguel Canelas
José
J
Carlos Cardoso
Ricardo
R
Vieira
Américo
A
Figueiredo
D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods*; D004954:Esthetics; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054020:Lasers, Gas; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012224:Rhinophyma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome