title: Treatment of oral cavity venous malformations with the Nd:YAG laser using the underwater technique.
abstract: Mucosal involvement of venous malformations can cause bleeding, pain, and functional impairment. Treatment options include surgery, sclerotherapy, or laser therapy. Neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:Yag) laser therapy has been used to treat mucosal disease, but few studies have focused purely on the oral cavity. We present a retrospective review of 4 patients (5 subsites) with oral cavity venous malformations treated with the Nd:YAG laser using an underwater technique. Photographs of the venous malformations before and after treatment were evaluated by 2 blinded physicians. A visual analog scale was used to rate the treatment. The medical record was reviewed to assess change in symptoms and to note complications. Four sites were rated as having "significant improvement" and 1 site as "some improvement." Our study demonstrates that the Nd:YAG laser can be a feasible option in the treatment of venous malformations of the oral cavity.
authors: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Crockett
authors: Jeremy D
authors: JD
authors: Meier
authors: Kevin F
authors: KF
authors: Wilson
authors: J Fredrik
authors: JF
authors: Grimmer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D009055:Mouth / Q000098:blood supply*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000601:surgery*; D014680:Veins / Q000002:abnormalities; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Nd:YAG laser; oral cavity; vascular malformation; venous malformation