title: Reduction of post-surgical scarring with the use of ablative fractional CO2lasers: A pilot study using a porcine model.
abstract: Wound healing inevitably leads to scarring, which leads to functional and cosmetic defects. It is the goal of this study to investigate the immediate use of ablative fractional CO2lasers to reduce post-operative scarring secondary to surgical wounds.
  
  
  
  In this prospective controlled study, 20 surgical incisions were created on each of three pigs. Fifteen of the incisions were treated with an ablative fractional CO2laser at one of three laser settings. The remaining five incisions served as a control. Punch biopsies were taken post-operatively over time. Digital photographs were taken of each incisional scar at each time period. Blinded evaluators used a previously verified scoring system to score photographs of the incisional scars taken at the 6 month time period.
  
  
  
  With regards to the comparison between the three individual laser treatment groups and the control, there were no statistically significant effects for treatment (P = 0.40), time (P = 0.48), or for the interaction of time and treatment (P = 0.57). With regards to the visual assessment tool, there were no statistically significant differences between treatments for Overall Appearance (P = 0.21) or for Total Score (P = 0.24).
  
  
  
  In the limited setting of this pilot study, treatment of surgical incisions with ablative fractional CO2lasers does not significantly lessen scar formation. In addition, photographic analysis was not able to demonstrate a significant difference. Future studies on this topic will need a larger sample size to better answer whether a statistically significant difference may exist. Lasers Surg. Med. 49:122-128, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners/Michigan State University, Plastic Surgery Residency, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.
authors.forename: Marissa E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Baca
authors.affiliation: Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners/Michigan State University, Plastic Surgery Residency, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.|Neaman Plastic Surgery, Salem, Oregon, 97302.
authors.forename: Keith C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Neaman
authors.affiliation: Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners/Michigan State University, Plastic Surgery Residency, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.
authors.forename: Derek A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.affiliation: Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners/Michigan State University, Plastic Surgery Residency, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.affiliation: Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners/Michigan State University, Plastic Surgery Residency, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.|Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.affiliation: Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners/Michigan State University, Plastic Surgery Residency, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.|Plastic Surgery Associates, P.C., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Renucci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
keywords: fractional photothermolysis; wound healing