KISSIMMEE, FLA. – Optimized intense pulsed light was found to safely enable effective clearance of port wine stains and capillary malformations in 16 patients.
The outcomes were so impressive in two patients, who achieved 80-100% improvement after only one treatment with this "new class of filtered IPL," that additional planned treatments were canceled, Dr. Maurice Adatto reported at the annual meeting of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery.
The 16 study patients from two centers had Fitzpatrick skin types II-IV and a mean age of 40 years (range, 11-71 years). All patients experienced improvement with one to four treatments, with 10 of the 16 patients achieving greater than 50% improvement, said Dr. Adatto, a dermatologist in private practice in Geneva, Switzerland.
The 10 females and 6 males had port wine stains of the face, neck, trunk, or extremities, with the exception of two patients who had capillary malformations.
Treatments were applied using Palomar’s MaxG IPL system with a spot size of 10 x 15 mm. Patients were treated using either one pass at a fluence of 50 J/cm2 and a 10-ms pulse duration, or two passes, with the first pass at 34-36 J/cm2 and a 10-ms pulse duration and the second at 20-28 J/cm2 and a 5-ms pulse duration.
Outcomes were assessed on the basis of clinical images generated using Miravex’s Antera 3D system to evaluate hemoglobin clearance. Photos were taken between 48 and 96 hours after each treatment and also at 2 months after each treatment, Dr. Adatto said.
The only reported side effects were limited or slight transitory purpura for 3-5 days, and mild to moderate edema for 1-3 days.
Lasers are more often used to treat port wine stains, but the higher peak power and the short pulse widths available with the new optimized pulsed light technology appear to allow for safe and effective clearance, Dr. Adatto said. Further optimization of the parameters and safety profile of the optimized pulsed light device is possible, and another study of its use in pediatric patients is currently underway, he noted.
Dr. Adatto disclosed that the equipment from Palomar used in the study was purchased at a discount. He had no other disclosures to report.