Effect of High-Intensity Macro-Focused Ultrasound on a Case of Morbihan Disease

Abstract

Morbihan disease is a rare entity involving the upper two-thirds of the face and characterized by chronic erythematous edema, which is recalcitrant to the traditional therapy of rosacea. We report a case of Morbihan disease effectively treated with macro-focused high-intensity focus ultrasound (MF-HIFU). After MF-HIFU treatment, an obvious reduction in swelling was observed with decreased erythema and hyperalgesia. In addition, in-vitro experiments were conducted to measure the actual temperature of the skin tissue under the epidermis. The results of the in-vitro experiments showed that the temperature plateau in the skin sample was reached at approximately 42°C after 5-min treatment or longer. MF-HIFU might be a promising energy-based therapy for Morbihan disease.