Pyogenic granuloma – Nd:YAG laser treatment in 450 patients

Abstract

AbstractPyogenic granuloma (PG) also known as “eruptive hemangioma”, “granulation tissue-type hemangioma”, “Before therapy, PGs of skin were initially rated in size and vascularization using color-coded duplex sonography. Usually the Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) was employed. Laser settings and techniques were adjusted appropriately; i.e. pulsed, chopped or continuous wave forIn total, 450 patients with 454 PGs were treated between the years 2000–2013. The size of PGs at time of treatment was 2–15 mm. Forty percent of PGs showed former bleeding. Seventy-six percent (n=344) of PGs occurred during the first two decades of life; 60% of cases in this group (n=205) occurred during the first 5 years of age. Taken as a whole, no gender predominance (♂: 52%; ♀: 48%) was found. Interestingly in the first year of age there was a male predominance (♂: 61%); in contrary a female predominance (♀: 63%) in middle age was seen. Eighty percent of angiomas were located in the head-neck region, particularly on eyelids. In the years 2000–2004, 70% of cases were treated with the Nd:YAG laser; a single session was sufficient in 93% of this cases, and the recurrence rate was 7%. In contrast, in the years 2005–2013, Nd:YAG laser treatment was performed in 94% of cases with a recurrence rate of less than 4%. The most effective application mode was the use of the Nd:YAG bare fiber technique, for both coagulationLaser treatment proved to be a successful method with no relevant side effects or complications. Scarring was observed in 40% of the cases (n=79) and thus less compared with shave excision and cautery. Hence, it can be suggested to include the Nd:YAG laser into the options of first-line therapy for PGs.