Treatment of lip hemangioma using forced dehydration with induced photocoagulation via diode laser: report of three cases

Laser Forced Dehydration of Benign Vascular Lesions of the Oral Cavity: A Valid Alternative to Surgical Techniques

Background and Objectives: Low-flow vascular lesions are commonly encountered in the oral cavity and may require removal due to aesthetic concerns, repeated bleeding or a cluttering sensation. Laser devices represent an excellent aid due to their affinity with blood and to their biostimulating properties and have been substituting traditional excision in selected cases. Materials and Methods: In this study, 30 patients presenting with low-flow oral vascular lesions were included. The lesions were clinically evaluated as follows: lesion's site, reason for treatment, lesion's dimensions, confirmation of positive diascopy via compression with a glass slide and photograph. The lesions were treated with laser forced dehydration (LFD) and then followed-up after 3 weeks, 6 months and 1 year. The laser source was a K-Laser Blu Derma (Eltech, K-Laser S.r.l., Via Castagnole, 20/H, Treviso, Italy). In the case of incomplete healing, a further protocol was performed at the three-week follow-up, and a further follow-up was scheduled for three weeks after. The following aspects were evaluated at each appointment: pain, using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) from 0 to 10 (0 = no pain, 10 = worst pain ever); the need to take painkillers (day of intervention and during follow-up); bleeding (yes/no); scar formation. Results: Complete regression was obtained in all patients, with no side effects. Only one patient required a second LFD protocol. NRS was 0 for all patients for the whole duration of the follow-up. None of the patients took painkillers on the day of the intervention and during the follow-up. One patient declared slight bleeding the day of the intervention, which she easily managed at home. One patient showed a small non-retracting and non-painful scar at the three-week follow-up. No recurrences were found after six months and one year. Conclusions: LFD targets endogenous chromophores, minimizing damage to adjacent tissue and limiting side effects. LFD is effective and could be considered a conservative alternative to traditional excision in low-flow lesions.

Experience with 808-nm diode laser in the treatment of 47 cases of oral vascular anomalies

Treatment of oral vascular anomalies (OVA) has focused on minimally invasive techniques rather than radical surgery. We investigated the efficacy and safety of diode laser using the photocoagulation technique in the management of OVA. Forty-seven subjects with OVA were treated with forced dehydration with induced photocoagulation (FDIP) using diode laser (808 nm/4.5 W). This series consisted mostly of male (63.8%) and non-white (63.8%) patients with a mean age of 57.4 years. Varices (91.5%), venous malformations (6.4%), and hemangiomas (2.1%) with a mean size of 7.1 (±4.9) mm were the conditions treated. OVA presented as a nodular lesion (63.8%) involving mainly the lower lip (46.8%). Pulsed laser mode was used as standard and the number of applications varied from one to four sessions, with the majority requiring only one (83%) FDIP session. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that complete clinical healing can occur on the 15th day (n=9/29.5%), followed by the 20th (n=6/45.5%), and 30th (n=7/70.5%) days. Postoperative edema was observed in 31 (66%) patients, and recurrence of the lesion occurred in two (4.2%). Based on the data on complete clinical healing, minimal patient discomfort, and satisfactory esthetic results, we can confirm that FDIP by diode laser is a promising candidate for the safe and efficacious treatment of OVA.

Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of the Diode Laser (980 nm) and Sclerotherapy in the Treatment of Oral Vascular Malformations

Background

Vascular malformations are structural abnormalities which are formed by progressively enlarging aberrant and ecstatic vessels without endothelial cell proliferation and composed of the type of vessel involved, i.e., capillary, veins, and arteriovenous. Treatment of vascular malformations may involve many techniques like sclerotherapy, embolization, surgical resection, cryotherapy, laser treatment, or medical therapy. This observational prospective study is aimed at evaluating and comparing the effects and efficacy of diode laser and sclerotherapy in the treatment of oral vascular malformation.

Materials and Methods

40 patients presenting with oral vascular malformation were included in the present study. The patients were divided equally (20 in each) into two groups, i.e., the laser group and sclerotherapy group. Sclerotherapy was performed with 3% sodium tetradecyl sulfate while the laser group was treated with diode laser 980 nm with transmucosal thermophotocoagulation. The patients were assessed for the response, remission, and side effects. The results obtained were tabulated and compared with the chi-square test.

Results

Side effects were found significantly lesser in the laser group compared to the sclerotherapy group (p < 0.05). Statistically significant difference was seen for postoperative pain between two groups. The laser group had mild to moderate pain compared to severe pain in the sclerotherapy group. Recurrence was observed more in the laser group compared to the sclerotherapy group.

Conclusions

Laser and sclerotherapy with 3% sodium tetradecyl sulfate both are effective in the treatment of vascular malformations. Diode laser seems to be better than sclerotherapy given lesser side effects and comfort to the patients while sclerotherapy seems to be better in respect to recurrences.

Diode laser for the treatment of a high flow lip vascular malformation: a case report with four years follow up

BACKGROUND

About 50% of vascular malformations are located at the head and neck region where they can usually be associated with functional and/or aesthetic limitations. Laser treatment has proven to be effective in treatment of small low-flow vascular malformations but little is known about the use of this therapy for high-flow larger arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).

METHODS

a congenital high-flow vascular malformation of the upper lip had to be treated because it was causing functional impairment and deformity which were affecting the quality of life. The mainstay of treatment is surgical therapy after embolization of the lesion but the treatment of high-flow lesions is difficult because of the high risk of mortality and morbidity. The lesion was then treated with transmucosal diode laser applications in multiple sessions.

RESULTS

The lesion progressively reduced in dimension without any sign of recurrence after multiple sessions of transmucosal diode laser applications. The clinical examination and the ultrasound scan performed four years after the last treatment demonstrated that no complications or further recurrence occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

multiple sessions of diode laser application can be a safe, effective and minimally invasive treatment for oral mucosa vascular malformations, even if characterized by high flow.

Diode laser as local treatment for oral Kaposi's sarcoma in HIV young patient: a case report

Introduction: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a malignant mucocutaneous neoplasm caused by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). Four types of KS exist and, in each of them, the patient could develop skin and visceral lesions. Surgical excision, radiotherapy, intralesional chemotherapy and systemic chemotherapy are widely accepted as treatment options. Observation: The aim of this paper is to present diode laser as minimally invasive procedure in management of oral KS. We report here a case of multiple oral lesions of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-associated KS, which has been solely treated with diode laser. Discussion: There is no bibliography on local treatment of oral KS with diode laser and this clinical case appears to be the first regarding this technique. Conclusion: This conservative approach, in association with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), is safe and effective, shows fewer side effects than chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgical excision and may be evaluated as potential treatment for oral KS.

Evaluation of sclerotherapy of benign oral vascular lesions with monoethanolamine oleate

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of sclerotherapy with monoethanolamine oleate (MEO) in a series of cases of benign oral vascular lesions (BOVL).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Clinical records and images were retrieved (2015-2019), and data regarding age, gender, location, size, symptomatology, treatment and outcomes of patients were collected. All patients were diagnosed according to the classification of International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies and received the same treatment protocol (MEO 0.05 g/mL). The collected data were submitted to descriptive analysis and Pearson's chi-square test (p ≤ 0.05).

RESULTS

Thirty-seven patients were treated. Most were female (70.3%) aged 9 to 88 years (median, 57.5 ± 17.4 years). Lower lip (54.1%) was the most affected site followed by buccal mucosa (16.2%). Thirty-two lesions were asymptomatic and 35.1% showed ≤ 0.5 cm in size. In 48.6% of the patients, only one application of MEO was performed. Complete regression occurred in 62.2% of cases, whereas 27% showed partial regression. One patient showed hypersensitivity during treatment. There was no significant difference between clinical outcome and age, anatomic site, size, and number of applications of MEO.

CONCLUSIONS

Sclerotherapy with MEO is an acceptable and affordable treatment and can provide satisfactory results in BOVL, especially where other treatment options could compromise the esthetic aspects.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

As it is a non-invasive therapy leading, in most cases, to adequate clinical results, safety, and tolerability, sclerotherapy with MEO can be considered an effective treatment for BOVL.

Diode laser treatment of venous lake of the lip

The diode laser promotes regression of the small venous lake of the lip by forced dehydration with induced photocoagulation of the lesions, with an uneventful postoperative course and anesthetic sequelae.

Diode laser to treat small oral vascular malformations: A prospective case series study

OBJECTIVE

The current work examined a consecutive series of patients presenting vascular malformations (VMs) and venous lakes (VLs) of the lip and oral mucosa who were treated with transmucosal diode laser applications and assessed over a 1 year period.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Fifty-nine patients (31 males and 28 females) presenting low-flow VMs or VLs of the oral cavity were treated transmucosally using a diode laser (with an 830 nm operating wavelength and 1.6 W output power) with a 320 µm diameter flexible fiber. All the lesions were assessed 7 days, 30 days, and 1 year after the laser treatment, and the lesion reduction percentage was scored on a one to five scale. The patients were also asked to assess their pain perception daily during the 7 days following the treatment using a visual analog scale (VAS).

RESULTS

There were no procedure-related intra- or post-operative complications; only modest pain intensity was reported. Thirty days after the treatment, lesion reduction was described as excellent or good in 52 cases; it was fair or poor in 7. Six patients (F:M ratio 2:4) required a second diode laser application. At the 1 year follow-up, volume reduction was complete in 48 out of 59 patients; there were five recurrences (F:M ratio 3:2). No relevant gender-related differences were noted.

CONCLUSION

The use of diode laser application to treat small oral VMs and VLs was associated to shorter operating times and fewer postoperative complications with respect to the scapel surgery approach. More than one session may nevertheless be required if the anomaly is larger than 10 mm. Lasers Surg. Med. 50:111-116, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Three Hundred Patients Treated with Ultrapulsed 980 nm Diode Laser for Skin Disorders

The use of lasers in skin diseases is quite common. In contrast to other laser types, medical literature about 980 nm ultrapulsed diode laser is sparse in dermatology. Herein, we report the use of ultrapulsed diode 980 nm laser in 300 patients with vascular lesions, cysts and pseudocysts, infectious disease, and malignant tumors. This laser is a versatile tool with excellent safety and efficacy in the hands of the experienced user.