ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The efficacy of pulsed dye laser combined (PDL) and UltraPulse fractional CO2 in treatment of hypertrophic scars is well documented. The present study investigates the efficacy of moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO)/moist exposed burn therapy (MEBT) in postlaser wound management. METHODS: Sixty-one patients with immature, red hypertrophic scars were enrolled in this clinical trial. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: (a) the MEBO treatment group (n = 30) and (b) the control group (n = 31) treated with chlortetracycline hydrochloride ointment. Demographic data such as age, gender, and cause of scars were recorded. A visual analogue score (VAS) was collected to measure pain at 1, 6, 24, 72 hours, and 7 days post-treatment. The Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was used to determine the response of the scars before and 3 months after the treatment. The wound healing time and pigmentation scores were also recorded. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in age, gender, and etiology of the scars in the two groups. The VAS scores in MEBO group were significantly lower than the control group within the first 3 days after treatment. The wound healing time of the MEBO group was significantly shorter than the control group. For both groups, VSS scores were significantly decreased and the scar markedly improved. However, the VSS scores were significantly lower in the MEBO group compared with the control group 3 months after treatment and pigmentation formation was dramatically lower in MEBO group compared with the control. CONCLUSION: MEBT/MEBO treatment reduced the post-treatment pain, shortened the wound healing duration, promoted the overall scar condition, and reduced the incidence of pigmentation.
Subject(s)
Cicatrix, Hypertrophic/therapy , Lasers, Dye/adverse effects , Lasers, Gas/adverse effects , Pain, Postoperative/prevention & control , Sitosterols/administration & dosage , Administration, Cutaneous , Adult , Combined Modality Therapy/adverse effects , Combined Modality Therapy/methods , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pain Measurement , Pain, Postoperative/diagnosis , Pain, Postoperative/etiology , Prospective Studies , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome , Wound Healing/drug effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hypertrophic scarring is seen regularly. Tissue penetration of laser energy into hypertrophic scars using computer defaults from some lasers may be insufficient and penetration not enough. We have developed a treatment with an interrupted laser "drilling" by the Ultrapulse CO2 (Manual Fractional Technology, MFT) and, a second pass, with fractional CO2 . The MFT with fractional CO2 lasers to treat hypertrophic scars is evaluated. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 158 patients with hypertrophic scars had three sessions of MFT with fractional CO2 laser at 3-month intervals. Evaluations made before and 6 months after the 3rd treatment: (1) the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), (2) the University of North Carolina (UNC) Scar Scale, and (3) a survey of patient satisfaction. RESULTS: All data were analyzed using a t-test before and after treatment. The VSS score decreased from 9.35 to 3.12 (P<.0001), and the UNC Scar Scale score decreased from 8.03 to 1.62 (P<.0001). The overall satisfaction rate was 92%. No long-term complications occurred in the clinical trial. CONCLUSION: The interrupted laser drilling by MFT and a fractional CO2 laser had profound effects on the hypertrophic scars treated. It works by increasing the penetration depth of the CO2 laser in the scar tissue, exerting more precise effects on the hypertrophic scars. MFT combined with fractional CO2 laser has the potential to be a major advance in the treatment of hypertrophic scars.
