Treatment of Vascular Lesions Using the VersaPulse^® Variable Pulse Width Frequency Doubled Neodymium:YAG Laser

Abstract

Background: The flashlamp-pumped dye laser is considered the treatment of choice for vascular lesions including port-wine stains. However, this treatment is associated with an intensive postoperative purpura and considerable pain. Objective: We tested a newly developed laser device with a 532-nm neodymium:YAG laser with variable pulse widths between 2 and 10 ms. Methods: Forty-two consecutive patients from our laser clinics were treated with the new laser system delivering energy through a chilled tip by means of circulating water (cooling temperature was between 4 and 5.5 °C). Forty of them had been pre-treated with an argon laser and an argon-pumped dye laser. Results: Out of the 42 patients, 1 patient had a complete clearing, 11 had an excellent result (more than 80% clearing), 21 patients had a good result (51–75% clearing), weak responses were seen in 9 patients. Significant success was already seen after 1 or 2 treatments. Side effects were rare. There was no purpura after treatment. Local anesthesia was only applied in 6 out of 42 patients. Conclusion: The variable pulse width frequency doubled neodymium:YAG laser seems to be an alternative to the flashlamp-pumped dye laser and deserves to be investigated in comparative trials.

Laser treatment of congenital facial port‐wine stains: Long‐term efficacy and complication in Chinese patients

“…Despite the ®ndings that sex, age, number of treatment session, and type of laser machine used were not related to a higher complication rate, further prospective study is required to con®rm these results. The authors found that 41% of patients could achieve maximum clearing after four treatment sessions in contrast to Dummer's series where majority of his patients could attain maximum clearing after two treatment sessions [16]. We also con®rmed that Chinese patients were less responsive to laser treatment with a higher complication rate.…”

Port wine stain treatment with a dual‐wavelength Nd:Yag laser and cryogen spray cooling: A pilot study

“…Nevertheless, successful treatments of PWS with KTP lasers (532 nm) have been reported [12,13], including PWS resistant to PDL treatment [14,15]. As described above, we hypothesize that simultanoues irradiation at the less absorbed 1,064 nm wavelength may improve the efficacy and/or safety margin of PWS treatment with the KTPþ laser.…”

Laser- und Lichttherapie von vaskulären Hautveränderungen

“…Ak tu ell wer den der lang ge puls te (KTP)-Nd:YAG-, Di oden-, Farb stoff la ser und IPL [6,11,22,25] so wie neu er dings, al ler dings noch un ter Stu dien be din gun gen, die ELOS™-und Mul ti plex™-Tech no lo gie [21, 23] ein ge setzt.…”

“…In durch schnitt lich 1-3 Sit zun gen, ggf. in Mul ti pass-Tech nik (meh re re Im pul se hin ter ein ander), kommt es zur Rück bil dung [6].…”