This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Low dose steroid with pulsed dye laser prevents hypertrophic scarring after thyroidectomy

Use of a low-dose intralesional steroid injection in combination with a pulsed dye laser successfully prevented the development of hypertrophic scars after thyroidectomy, according to study results.

“This is the first study to use low-dose intralesional steroid injections combined with a pulsed dye laser as an early prevention method,” Han-Won Ryu, MD, PhD, and colleagues wrote. “This strategy not only successfully prevented hypertrophic scars, but also improved roughness after use of the fractional [carbon dioxide] laser.”

Ryu and colleagues treated 20 patients with thyroidectomy scars with the combination treatment within 4 weeks of suture removal. Patients were injected with 2 mg/mL of low-dose intralesional triamcinolone acetate immediately after treatment with a 595-nm pulsed dye laser. The patients underwent two treatment sessions in intervals of 2 to 3 weeks. After the two sessions, patients then underwent treatment with a fractional carbon dioxide laser twice at 1-month intervals.

The researchers found the average Vancouver Scar Scale scores significantly improved from 7.65 prior to treatment to 3.1 at final follow-up. The average Global Assessment Score at the final assessment after treatment was 3.75, and the average Patient Satisfaction Score was 3.85. – by Jeff Craven

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.