TREATMENT OF NEVUS OTA BY LIQUID-NITROGEN CRYOTHERAPY

Nevus Ota is a disfiguring facial dermal melanosis that is observed ra rely in Caucasians but is common in Asians. Until recently, carbon dio xide snow cryotherapy had been used most frequently to treat this diso rder, but the results were not always satisfactory and often left scar ring after treatment. During the past 15 years, we have treated a tota l of 600 cases of dermal pigmentary facial disfiguration using CRYO-MI NI, a liquid nitrogen cryogenic instrument with a removable disk-shape d copper tip. We have found this method to be simple and extremely eff ective in the treatment of nevus Ota and senile lentigines, and it is also useful for treatment of delayed nevus spilus and blue nevus. This report presents our techniques and experiences as well as the results achieved with four patients who have a deeply situated type of nevus Ota. Associated problems to be considered in future treatment are disc ussed also.