595 nm pulsed dye laser effectively reduced the effects of hypertrophic scars in patients with post-thyroidectomy.
Wausau, WI (August 18, 2022) – Hypertrophic scars (HSs) on the neck are the most common cutaneous side effects after thyroid cancer surgery. The pulsed dye laser (PDL) is an effective modality for preventing and improving HSs. However, the heterogeneity of the laser parameter settings and subjective scar assessment methods used in most studies resulted in uncertainty with treatment plans. This study investigated the treatment effect of the PDL on HSs in post-thyroidectomy patients using three-dimensional (3D) imaging analysis and suggests a cost-effective treatment plan.
The clinical report, led by You Chan Kim, MD, PhD, is titled, “A prospective study to evaluate the treatment effect of pulsed dye laser on thyroidectomy hypertrophic scars using 3D imaging analysis.” The report, published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (LSM), the official journal of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS), was selected as the August 2022 Editor’s Choice.
Nineteen patients with HSs after thyroidectomy underwent eight treatment sessions with the 595 nm PDL at 4- to 6-week intervals. After every two treatment sessions, patients were assessed using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), a patient satisfaction questionnaire, and a 3D skin imaging device.
“Traditional open thyroidectomy approaches through transverse incisions in the neck are still the most commonly used techniques for thyroid cancer surgery, and subsequent visible hypertrophic scars (HSs) on the neck are the most common cutaneous side effects after thyroid cancer surgery,” said Kim. “These cause significant cosmetic problems that result in functional impairment and psychosocial burdens. We investigated the treatment effect of the pulsed dye laser (PDL) on HSs in post-thyroidectomy patients using three-dimensional imaging analysis intending to provide a systemic and optimal treatment protocol.”
It was found that the PDL effectively reduced scar height, vascularity, and pigmentation in patients with thyroidectomy HSs using 3D imaging analysis, suggesting a cost-effective treatment plan with the 595 nm PDL.
Editor’s Choice is an exclusive article published in LSM, the official journal of the ASLMS. View the complete manuscript.
The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS) is the largest multidisciplinary professional organization dedicated to the development and application of lasers and related technology for health care applications. ASLMS promotes excellence in patient care by advancing biomedical application of lasers and other related technologies worldwide. ASLMS membership includes physicians, surgeons, nurses, and allied health professionals representing multiple specialties, physicists involved in product development, biomedical engineers, biologists, industry representatives and manufacturers. For more information, visit aslms.org.