Presidential Greeting - American Society for Laser Medicine and ...

tattoos. The purpose of this study is to assess the rate of resolution
of older tattoos when compared to newer tattoos.
Study: The study is a retrospective chart review of patients
seeking laser-assisted tattoo removal in a private laser and skin
surgery center. Charts of patients with at least six treatment
sessions using any combination of the ruby, neodymium-doped
yttrium aluminium garnet, and alexandrite lasers were reviewed
in reverse chronological order. The first ten patients with tattoos
older than 10 years were compared to patients with tattoos newer
than 5 years. Before and after photographs were evaluated by
blinded, non-treating staff physicians.
Results: All 20 patients demonstrated marked resolution of their
tattoos, exceeding greater than 50% clearance. However, no
patient with newer tattoos demonstrated near total clearance,
while 4 (40%) of those tattoos older than 10 years did.
Conclusion: Age of tattoo serves as an indicator for the rate of
success of laser-assisted tattoo removal and may be discussed with
patients when reviewing treatment expectations.
#202
American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery Abstracts 59
#203
LASER ABLATION OF WOUND EDGES ENHANCES
COSMETIC OUTCOME OF SUPERFICIAL MOHS
MICROGRAPHIC SURGICAL SITES
Robert Anolik, Elliot T. Weiss, Roy G. Geronemus,
Anne Chapas, Lori Brightman, Julie K. Karen,
Elizabeth K. Hale, Leonard Bernstein
Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York, New York, NY
Background: Laser surgery allows for precise management of
unwanted skin changes. When combined with the precision of
Mohs micrographic surgery, the possibility of achieving skin
cancer cure along with minimal tissue deformity becomes more
likely. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether laser
ablation at the time of Mohs surgery to the edge of superficial
wounds enhances cosmetic outcome.
Study: This is a retrospective chart review of patients with facial
non-melanoma skin cancers treated in a private laser and skin
surgery center that were allowed to heal by secondary intention.
Twenty patients were selected by including the first 10 patient
charts that documented non-fractional erbium laser ablation to
wound edges immediately following Mohs surgery and the first 10
patients without ablation. Cosmetic outcome was assessed by
comparison of photographs 3–4 months after surgery by blinded,
non-treating dermatologists. Objective assessment was
determined using the Primos optical tomography imaging system
(Primos, Canfield Scientific, Inc., Fairfield, NJ) to evaluate
quantifiable differences in skin surface irregularities.
Results: When patients with and without laser ablation to the
edge of superficial Mohs micrographic surgical sites were
compared, those with laser ablation displayed less noticeable
scars. Cosmetic benefit was attributed by assessors to less evident
vertical ‘‘drop-off’’ and shadowing at the border of uninvolved to
involved skin. The perception of improved border transition was
quantifiably demonstrated on Primos topographic imaging
(Primos, Canfield Scientific, Inc., Fairfield, NJ). Other than
scarring, adverse events were equivalent between the two groups
and only included expected short-term side effects of erythema,
swelling, and bruising.
Conclusion: Laser ablation to the edge of superficial wounds at
the time of Mohs micrographic surgery enhances cosmetic
outcome. The subjective benefit is confirmed with objective
topographic imaging, which demonstrates quantifiable
differences in the rate of border transition into the wound bed.
HAIR REMOVAL WITH ALEXANDRITE LASER ON
SKIN GRAFTS AFTER RECONSTRUCTIVE FACIAL
SURGERY
Cesar Arroyo, Antonio Diaz, Marcedes Martinez,
Agustin De la Quintana, Patricia Homar
Madrid, Spain
Background: One of the advances in reconstructive surgery has
been the ability to solve those cases where the removal of an injury
would leave a flaw due to the loss of substance that can only be
solved by using cutaneous covering techniques by performing skin
grafts. This may bring some side effects, besides being
anaesthetic. It can also interfere in the lives of patients who have
undergone this procedure.
Study: In this study, we selected a group of patients with hair
follicles in skin grafts performed to cover different types of lesions
(tumors, trauma) and subjected them to serial treatment with
alexandrite laser (775 nm) consisting of conducting no fewer than
four sessions at intervals varying from 4 to 6 weeks. Patients
treated with skin grafts from the thigh (donor site) to cover defects
in the facial area after surgery (oral cavity, nasal region, ear, etc.)
by the Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery Service of our hospital
over the past 6 months. Laser Alexandrite 755 nm (Elite,
Cynosure INC). Smart Cool 5 Skin cooling system (compressed
air). Digital Photo System (Cannon D70).
Results: Percentual decline of over 70% fewer sessions compared
with normal skin hair observed in all the treatments, without
effect on the grafted tissue and high patient satisfaction.
Conclusion: Preliminary results are very encouraging and give
us an alternative for solving these cases, where the problem
ranges from visual aesthetic defects to functional problems such
as swallowing disorders in the case of skin coverage with grafts in
oral cavity and where it may be considered to perform the hair
eradication treatment on the donor first, given the lack of impact
on the vitality of the graft.
#204
AGMINATED BLUE NEVI ARISING WITHIN A
CONGENITAL MELANOCYTIC NEVUS:
TREATMENT WITH 755 NM ALEXANDRITE LASER
Porcia Bradford, Corbin Petersen, Puja Puri,
Claude Burton
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Background: Blue nevus is a benign, localized collection of
dermal melanocytes; however, blue nevi may rarely appear
grouped in an agminated pattern within a congenital melanocytic
nevus. Agminated blue nevi arising within a congenital
melanocytic nevus can cause significant cosmetic and
psychological disturbances. Serial surgical excisions are usually
recommended; however, this can cause major morbidity for the
patient. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical
response to alexandrite laser in a patient with agminated blue
nevi arising within a congenital melanocytic nevus.
Study: A 34-year-old Caucasian woman presented with a large
(30 cm 15 cm) congenital melanocytic lesion, punctated with
multiple dark blue papules on the right arm. Histopathologic
examination of one of the papules revealed a dermis with heavily
pigmented fusiform and dendritic melanocytes embedded in a
sclerotic stroma, consistent with a blue nevus. A long-pulsed
alexandrite laser with a wavelength of 755 nm and a pulse
duration of 3 milliseconds was used to treat the lesion. The patient