Vaporization of Orbital Lymphangioma with Ultrapulse CO2 Laser

ABSTRACT

Orbital lymphangioma is a benign vascular hamartoma that may be found in the conjunctiva, eyelids, orbit, or elsewhere in the head and neck region. Deep lymphangiomatous lesions are classically characterized by acute onset of a fulminant proptosis resulting from spontaneous hemorrhage within the orbit. Complete surgical excision is often difficult because of the infiltrative nature of the tumor. Moreover, because of the hemorrhagic and friable nature of the tumor, conventional surgical techniques are frequently complicated by bleeding. We treated a case of pathologically-proven orbital lymphangioma with the ultrapulse CO2 laser. The ultrapulse CO2 laser permits a precise form of treatment with the ultimate form of hemostasis[tissue vaporization], resulting in minimal trauma, edema, and scarring, and thus offers a safe alternative to surgical excision of this lesion. The ultrapulse CO2 laser is an best ideal instrument for subtotal excision of this lesion because of its hemostatic cutting-vaporizing actions.