title: Laser treatment of venous malformations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether treatment of venous congenital vascular malformations with the use of laser technology provides lightening or disappearance of lesions with a high degree of satisfaction reported by patients and observed by the physician.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study gathered 26 patients suffering from vascular malformation, of which 73.07% were female and were treated with the PhotoDerm® device. The treatment of vascular malformations needed an average of 6.43 sessions, with intervals of six to eight weeks. Patients included in this study had skin type II (57.40%) and type III (42.30%), according to the Fitzpatric's classification. The mean age ranged from 14 to 61 years, averaging 36.70 years. Data were obtained through the completion of an informed protocol by the patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High satisfaction rates were reported (96.16%) and only one case (3.84%) was partially satisfied when considering lightening or disappearance of lesions. When evaluated by medical professionals, lesions disappeared in 80.76% and became lighter in 19.24%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment of venous vascular malformations with Photo-Derm® is safe and effective as it offered a high degree of patient satisfaction and good results in the disappearance of the lesions.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitário Evangélico de Curitiba, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. ipem@evangelico.org.br
authors.forename: Nerlan T G de
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Jurandir Marcondes
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ribas-Filho
authors.forename: Jose Fernando
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.forename: Osvaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Malafaia
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Michaelis
authors.forename: Rodrigo Almeida Coelho
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Macedo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017445:Skin Diseases, Vascular / Q000601:surgery*; D014680:Veins / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult