SAN DIEGO Electrocautery using the Colorado needle appears to be at least as effective as the UltraPulse CO2 laser for blepharoplasty, Cameron K. Rokhsar, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.
The techniques resulted in equivalent amounts of ecchymosis, edema, and erythema, as assessed by both physician and patient during the 30-day postoperative period. In addition, there were no significant differences in the width of the scar left by each method, said Dr. Rokhsar, a dermatologist in private practice in San Diego.
The study involved 12 patients, 11 of whom had an upper-eyelid blepharoplasty and 2 of whom had a lower-eyelid conjunctival blepharoplasty. After an initial incision with a 15C blade, they were randomly assigned to have the skin, orbicularis, and fat of one eye excised by the CO2 laser and those of the other eye excised using the Colorado needle and electrocautery.
The CO2 laser was operated with a coherent 0.2-mm beam at 150 mJ, 3.5 W, and 25 Hz. The Colorado needle has an ultrasharp, 5-μm tungsten tip; it was operated in this study at a cutting setting of 2 and a coagulation setting of 2.
Patients were assessed at days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 30 following surgery. At day 30, eyes treated with the CO2 laser had scars 1.03 mm in width, and eyes treated with the Colorado needle had scars 1.08 mm in width. These did not differ significantly.