title: Vascular patterns in mature hypertrophic burn scars treated with fractional CO2 laser.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fractional CO2 laser has recently emerged as a promising therapeutic modality to improve the texture and appearance of burn scars. An issue in many burn scars is persistent erythema, which traditionally has been treated with vascular lasers. Interestingly, fractional CO2 lasers have been shown to improve the appearance of burn scars, including erythema, but no mechanism has been proposed for this change. Our objective is to evaluate the histopathologic changes in vasculature in burn scars treated with fractionated CO2 laser, and to attempt to describe the mechanism behind reduced erythema following treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uncontrolled, prospective study of ten patients with mature burn scars, from a clinical and histological perspective. Biopsy specimens were obtained before and 2 months after 3 treatment sessions. Anti-CD31 immunostaining was performed to highlight vascular patterns in biopsy specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In histological analysis, an increase in vascular density, particularly of small caliber vessels, was seen following treatment, with an 82.6% average increase in vasculature (P = 0.028). This increase in vascularity correlated with a decrease in clinical erythema and vascularity scores, measured using the Vancouver Scar Scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mature hypertrophic burn scars treated with a fractional CO2 laser showed a statistically significant increase in vascular density in the superficial dermis. A non-statistical decrease in clinically perceived erythema and improvement of overall appearance was seen. To our knowledge, this is the first report of increased vascular density in burn scars treated with fractional CO2 laser and suggests our prior assumptions on causes of erythema in mature hypertrophic scars may need to be challenged.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors: Karen L
authors: KL
authors: Connolly
authors: Marsha
authors: M
authors: Chaffins
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Ozog
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications*; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: erythema