SIDE-EFFECTS AND COMPLICATIONS OF FLASHLAMP-PUMPED PULSED DYE-LASER THERAPY OF PORT-WINE STAINS - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY

The flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser (FPDL) was the first laser syste m specifically developed for the treatment of cutaneous vascular lesio ns such as port-wine stains (PWS), telangiectases and haemangiomas. It s theoretical advantages have been verified by numerous excellent clin ical results. As there are few systematic studies on the adverse effec ts of this laser system, we investigated 100 consecutive patients who received FPDL therapy of PWS. Pain during and after laser therapy was a common complaint, Post-treatment erythema occurred in 29%, oedema in 73%, formation of bullae in 1%, and serous crusting in 46-83% of pati ents (based on our observations and the patients histories, respective ly), all of which lasted for a maximum of 7 days. Furthermore, complic ations such as impetigo-like crusting occurred in 25%, bleeding in 12% , a pyogenic granuloma in 1%, hyperpigmentation in 27%, hypopigmentati on in 1%, atrophic scarring in 3%, and an hypertrophic scar in 1%. Alt hough most of these changes were only focal, and were predominantly tr ansient, our results indicate that the incidence of side-effects and c omplications produced by the FPDL (wavelength 585 nm, pulsewidth 450 m u s) may be higher than previously documented in the literature.