A Single Institution Experience with Standardized Objective and Subjective Scar Evaluation While Undergoing Fractional Ablative Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment. | A Single-Institution Experience With Standardized Objective and Subjective Scar Evaluation While Undergoing Fractional Ablative Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment.
A Single Institution Experience with Standardized Objective and Subjective Scar Evaluation While Undergoing Fractional Ablative Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment. A Single-Institution Experience With Standardized Objective and Subjective Scar Evaluation While Undergoing Fractional Ablative Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment.
- 2022
Laser treatment of burn scar has increased in recent years. Standard components of scar evaluation during laser scar revision have yet to be established. Patients who began laser scar revision from January 2018-2020, underwent at least three treatments, and completed evaluations for each treatment were included. Patients underwent fractional ablative carbon dioxide laser scar revision and pre- and post-procedure scar evaluations by a burn rehabilitation therapist, including Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale, Vancouver Scar Scale, our institutional scar comparison scale, durometry, and active range of motion measurements. Twenty-nine patients began laser scar revision and underwent at least three treatments with evaluations before and after each intervention. All patients improved in at least one scar assessment metric after a single laser treatment. After second and third treatments, all patients improved in at least three scar assessment metrics. Range of motion was the most frequently improved. Durometry significantly improved after a third treatment. Patients and observers showed some agreement in their assessment of scar, but observers rated overall scar scores better than patients. Patients acknowledged substantial scar improvement on our institutional scar comparison scale. Burn scar improves with fractional ablative laser therapy in a range of scar ages and skin types, as early as the first session. Improvements continue as additional sessions are performed. This work suggests baseline evaluation components for patients undergoing laser, and a timeline for expected clinical improvements which may inform conversations between patients and providers when considering laser for symptomatic hypertrophic scar. Copyright (c) The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Burn Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].
English
1559-047X
*Burns/co [Complications]
*Cicatrix, Hypertrophic/et [Etiology]
*Cicatrix, Hypertrophic/su [Surgery]
*Laser Therapy/mt [Methods]
*Lasers, Gas/tu [Therapeutic Use]
Adult
Carbon Dioxide
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
MedStar Health Research Institute
MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Firefighters' Burn and Surgical Research Laboratory
Surgery/Burn Services
Journal Article
Laser treatment of burn scar has increased in recent years. Standard components of scar evaluation during laser scar revision have yet to be established. Patients who began laser scar revision from January 2018-2020, underwent at least three treatments, and completed evaluations for each treatment were included. Patients underwent fractional ablative carbon dioxide laser scar revision and pre- and post-procedure scar evaluations by a burn rehabilitation therapist, including Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale, Vancouver Scar Scale, our institutional scar comparison scale, durometry, and active range of motion measurements. Twenty-nine patients began laser scar revision and underwent at least three treatments with evaluations before and after each intervention. All patients improved in at least one scar assessment metric after a single laser treatment. After second and third treatments, all patients improved in at least three scar assessment metrics. Range of motion was the most frequently improved. Durometry significantly improved after a third treatment. Patients and observers showed some agreement in their assessment of scar, but observers rated overall scar scores better than patients. Patients acknowledged substantial scar improvement on our institutional scar comparison scale. Burn scar improves with fractional ablative laser therapy in a range of scar ages and skin types, as early as the first session. Improvements continue as additional sessions are performed. This work suggests baseline evaluation components for patients undergoing laser, and a timeline for expected clinical improvements which may inform conversations between patients and providers when considering laser for symptomatic hypertrophic scar. Copyright (c) The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Burn Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].
English
1559-047X
*Burns/co [Complications]
*Cicatrix, Hypertrophic/et [Etiology]
*Cicatrix, Hypertrophic/su [Surgery]
*Laser Therapy/mt [Methods]
*Lasers, Gas/tu [Therapeutic Use]
Adult
Carbon Dioxide
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
MedStar Health Research Institute
MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Firefighters' Burn and Surgical Research Laboratory
Surgery/Burn Services
Journal Article