title: Ablative Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser in the Treatment of Chronic, Posttraumatic, Lower-Extremity Ulcers in Elderly Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Treating posttraumatic lower extremity wounds can be challenging, especially in elderly patients. Recently, the use of fractional carbon dioxide laser has been shown to improve wound healing in scar-related wounds. We used this treatment modality in posttraumatic wounds that were slow to heal in 3 elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each wound underwent one fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment. The wound base was treated at 30 mJ and 5% density. The entire wound edge and 1 to 2 cm into the normal surrounding skin were treated at 50 mJ and 5% density. One pass was completed at 150 Hz per treatment. Treatments were well tolerated with only mild discomfort. Each wound healed by 60% or greater within 3 weeks. No adverse events were reported aside from mild and transient erythema at site of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment appeared to accelerate healing in each of these posttraumatic wounds. It may be a helpful adjunct in nonhealing posttraumatic wounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts2Department of Dermatology, SkinCare Physicians, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Tania J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, SkinCare Physicians, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Laurel M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Morton
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California4The Aroostook Medical Center, Presque Isle, Maine.
authors.forename: Nathan S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Uebelhoer
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, SkinCare Physicians, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts5Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut6Department of Dermatology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire7De.
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dover
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology*; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications