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Fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment quickly heals chronic lower-extremity wounds in elderly

Healing of chronic posttraumatic wounds in elderly patients appeared to accelerate following treatment with fractional carbon dioxide laser, according to recently published study results.

Researchers used Deep FX fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment (Lumenis Ltd.) on three elderly patients whose posttraumatic wounds were slow to heal.

Patients in the study included a woman in her 70s with a traumatic injury to the dorsum of the left foot that had been sutured, but dehisced, leaving an open wound present at for 3 months at her first examination. The wound measured 3 cm × 1.7 cm at time of laser treatment.

Also included in the study was a man in his 70s with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancers and well-controlled type 2 diabetes who had undergone Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) for basal cell carcinoma on his right shin. At 6 weeks after MMS, the wound measured 1.5 x 1.5 cm.

The study also included a healthy woman in her 90s who walked 1.6 km per day and had a slow-healing wound measuring 2.2 cm × 1.7 cm on her right shin following MMS for squamous cell carcinoma.

Each wound was treated with one laser treatment, with the wound base undergoing treatment at 30 mJ and 5% density, and the entire wound edge and 1 cm to 2 cm into the surrounding area treated with 50 mJ and 5% density. One pass of 150 Hz per treatment was used, and the treatment site was dressed with Aquaphor (petrolatum 41%, Beiersdorf).

The wounds healed by 60% or greater within 3 weeks, with complete healing of wounds occurring between 3 weeks and 6 weeks. The only adverse events reported were mild and transient erythema at the treatment site, according to the researchers.

The researchers noted the patients were in good health, did not have significant comorbidities and had posttraumatic wounds. To validate the laser treatment as a second-line treatment for difficult-to-heal lower-extremity wounds, controlled studies are needed, the researchers concluded. – by Bruce Thiel

Disclosures: Phillips reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.