LESION SIZE IS A FACTOR FOR DETERMINING THE RATE OF PORT-WINE STAIN CLEARING FOLLOWING PULSED DYE-LASER TREATMENT IN ADULTS

Seventy-four adult patients with facial, truncal, and extremity port-w ine stains (PWS) were treated with the flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye las er (PDL) with laser output ranging from 6.0 to 7.5 J/cm(2). Response t o treatment tvas analyzed by comparing the area of involvement followi ng each treatment with the area of involvement measured in the first t reatment session, All the PWS responded with 25 to 90 percent lighteni ng, and 85.1 percent of patients achieved 25 percent clearing, However , only 36.5 percent achieved 50 percent clearing, and none of the pati ents achieved 100 percent clearing, None of four patients with PWS gre ater than 100 cm(2) achieved 50 percent clearing following a mean of 1 7.2 +/- 5.7 treatments, These data emphasize the importance of objecti vely documenting clinical response to PDL treatment of PWS, Adult pati ents need to be made aware that complete clearing may not be obtainabl e by PDL treatment alone, This is especially important for adult patie nts with PWS larger than 100 cm(2).