title: Healing of chronic wounds with adjunctive ablative fractional laser resurfacing in two pediatric patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The development of chronic non-healing wounds is multifactorial and can lead to increased patient morbidity. When traditional wound care methods fail, alternative treatments are needed to prevent chronic ulcer complications. Ablative fractional laser resurfacing (AFR) is an emerging therapy for chronic wounds. We report the successful use of AFR to facilitate the healing of chronic wounds in two pediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a case series including two patients with chronic wounds within scars that were treated with a micro-fractionated carbon dioxide (CO2 ) laser in a single pass at a pulse energy of 50 mJ and a treatment density of 5%. One patient had one treatment and the other had two treatments 1 month apart.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AFR led to rapid healing of chronic wounds in both pediatric patients. The wounds remained epithelialized after 9 months in one patient and 4 months in the other. There were no complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of tolerability and efficacy observed in these cases introduces AFR as a potential promising adjunct to existing treatments for chronic, non-healing wounds in the pediatric population.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California.|Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Krakowski
authors.affiliation: Dell Children's Hospital, Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California.|Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Shehla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Admani
authors.affiliation: The Aroostook Medical Center, Presque Isle, Maine.
authors.forename: Nathan S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Uebelhoer
authors.affiliation: Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Shumaker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: carbon dioxide; chronic wound; fractionated laser; photothermolysis; scar; ulcer