title: Early postoperative treatment of thyroidectomy scars using a fractional carbon dioxide laser.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ablative carbon dioxide fractional laser systems (CO(2) FS) have been effectively used to improve the appearance of scarring after surgical procedures, but an optimal treatment time has not been established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of CO(2) FS in early postoperative thyroidectomy scars.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three Korean women with thyroidectomy scars were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent a single session of two passes of a CO(2) FS with a pulse energy setting of 50 mJ and a density of 100 spots/cm(2) 2 to 3 weeks after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) scores were statistically significantly lower after laser treatment. Three months after CO(2) FS treatment of thyroidectomy scarring, 12 of 23 participants showed clinical improvement of more than 51% from 2 to 3 weeks after surgery. The mean grade of clinical improvement based on independent clinical assessment was 2.6 ± 0.9.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early postoperative CO(2) FS treatment of thyroidectomy scars is effective and safe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jong Ju
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Hyo Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Su Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Kee Yang
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Won Jai
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kee-Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Woong Youn
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Ju Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011182:Postoperative Care; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome