Treatment of Scars with Er:YAG Laser in Patients with Cleft Lip: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

Objective Although one goal in cleft lip surgery is to avoid serious scarring, residual scars are often observed after primary surgery. The goal of this preliminary report was to present the standardized application of laser technology to reduce the appearance of residual scars. Design Ten patients with scarring after unilateral and bilateral cleft lip surgery were treated with a Dual Mode erbium yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. This laser was recently introduced and had been used only for cosmetic applications, skin resurfacing, and correction of acne scars. Results An improvement in the clinical appearance of the laser-treated scars was observed after the first treatment, with continued improvement after the second laser session. The clinically observed improvements were corroborated by the patients’ reports concerning satisfaction with the result. Conclusions The combined mechanisms of ablation/coagulation and shrinking of the skin caused by the laser, in addition to observed patient satisfaction and low risk associated with the procedure, suggest that this treatment approach can be effective in the correction of residual scarring in patients with cleft lip.