Multimodal quantitative analysis of early pulsed-dye laser treatment of scars at a pediatric burn hospital.
BACKGROUND
The pulsed-dye laser (PDL) is a potential adjunctive therapy for treatment of hyperemic and hypertrophic scars.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of early PDL treatment plus compression therapy (CT) with those of CT alone in patients undergoing burn scar reconstruction with split-thickness grafts on an extremity.


METHODS
Laser treatments were applied to one half of the graft seam. Standard CT was applied to both halves. Laser treatment was repeated at 6-week intervals until one half reached sufficient clinical improvements. Each half was evaluated just before treatments using quantitative measures of color, scar height, biomechanical properties and clinical features using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS).


RESULTS
Less quantitative scar erythema and height and greater tissue elasticity were observed after two or three treatments for PDL plus compression than with compression alone. VSS scores showed greater improvement for vascularity, pliability, pigmentation, and height for PDL plus compression than for compression alone.


CONCLUSIONS
PDL treatment in combination with CT appears to reduce scar hyperemia and height and normalize the biomechanical properties of burn-related scars.
Shriners Hospitals for Children, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
John Kevin
JK
Bailey
Shoná A
SA
Burkes
Marty O
MO
Visscher
Jennifer
J
Whitestone
Richard J
RJ
Kagan
Kevin P
KP
Yakuboff
Petra
P
Warner
R
R
Randall Wickett
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D058128:Compression Bandages; D004548:Elasticity; D004890:Erythema / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054025:Lasers, Dye / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D018583:Pliability; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D055815:Young Adult