Abstract
. Port wine stains (PWS) are congenital vascular malformations for which lasers are the treatment of choice. This article reviews laser optics in relation to PWS treatment and discusses the major laser and light source systems, including the flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser (FLPDL), cryogen spray cooling in combination with the FLPDL, the potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser and the intense pulsed light source, currently utilised for this procedure. Future opportunities for therapeutic improvement are also considered.
Highlights
A port wine stain (PWS) is a congenital vascular malformation found in approximately 0.3% of infants [1]
For patients not achieving the desired degree of PWS blanching after multiple treatments with the flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser (FLPDL) or for very sensitive areas such as the hand, the KTP laser o#ers another treatment option
Lasers are the modality of choice for the treatment of PWS birthmarks
Summary
A port wine stain (PWS) is a congenital vascular malformation found in approximately 0.3% of infants [1]. Many of the lasers developed for PWS treatment utilise a wavelength slightly longer than one of the absorption peaks, achieving acceptable haemoglobin absorption while penetrating deeper into the dermis and individual vessels. PWS vessels are generally 30–170 m in diameter and pulse durations of 1–13 ms are considered optimal for treatment [4,6], minimising heating of non-vascular tissue while allowing su$cient time for damage of the vessel wall without vaporisation.
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