Evaluating the Long-Term Outcome of the Ablative Lasers in the Treatment of Facial Angiofibromas in Tuberous Sclerosis: A TwoYear Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Background: Tuberous sclerosis (TS), a genetic multisystem disorder, is characterized by widespread hamartomas in multiple organs. The classic clinical symptoms consist of angiofibromas, epilepsy, and developmental delay. Dermatological change is one of the major features. Bilateral facial angiofibromas (FA), a common form of presentation, cause significant cosmetic, medical, and emotional problems. The emerging treatment for skin lesions is laser therapy. However, there is no report on the long-term outcome of combined use of ultra-pulse carbon dioxide (UPCD) laser and ablative fractional (AF) Er: YAG lasers to treat skin lesions in patients suffering TS. Methods: A retrospective study, conducted from March 2014 to July 2018, investigated 9 patients from the Northwest part of China who had TS treated with a sequential treatment of UPCD laser and AF Er: YAG laser. Results: The sequential use of the UPCD and AF Er: YAG laser is a safe and effective method for the treatment of FA in patients suffering TS with satisfactory long-term outcomes. Conclusions: The sequential use of the UPCD and AF Er: YAG laser is a safe and effective method for the treatment of FA in patients suffering TS with satisfactory long-term outcomes.