title: Comparison between traditional surgery, CO2 and Nd:Yag laser treatment for generalized gingival hyperplasia in Sturge-Weber syndrome: a retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sturge-Weber syndrome is a rare congenital disorder that belongs to the group of neuroectodermal development anomalies called "phakomatoses". Hyperplastic lesions affect the gingiva, causing massive spontaneous bleeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a retrospective study of 11 patients affected by Sturge-Weber syndrome, with generalized gingival hyperplasia and angiomatous lesions of the oral cavity. Traditional scalpel surgery was performed in three patients; the remaining eight underwent laser gingivectomy. Specifically, four were treated with electrosurgery and a CO2 laser, and the remaining four patients were treated with a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser at 1.06, with a power of 4 or 6 W. In order to measure the patients' pain response, we used a visual analog scale. We clinically evaluated the tissue response and the possible presence of relapse in the surgically-treated areas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The three patients treated with traditional surgery had a relapse between 17 and 24 months after surgery. The four patients treated with the CO2 laser had a relapse between 36 and 42 months after surgery in 75% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most encouraging results were achieved using the neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser; patients treated with this procedure had a relapse 5 years and 4 months from surgery in only 25% of cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Sciences and Surgery, General Hospital, Bari, Italy. f.inchingolo@doc.uniba.it
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Inchingolo
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tatullo
authors.forename: Fabio M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Abenavoli
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marrelli
authors.forename: Alessio D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Inchingolo
authors.forename: Angelo M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Inchingolo
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dipalma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D005885:Gingival Hyperplasia / Q000601:surgery*; D005890:Gingivectomy / Q000379:methods; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000145:classification; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013341:Sturge-Weber Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Sturge-Weber syndrome; gingival hyperplasia; neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser treatment; soft tissue; traditional surgery