Erbium:YAG laser treatment of post-burn scars: potentials and limitations

Eberlein, Aletta; Schepler, Hadrian; Spilker, Gerald; Altmeyer, Peter; Hartmann, Bernd

doi:10.1016/j.burns.2004.06.004

« Previous Next »Burns
Volume 31, Issue 1 , Pages 15-24, February 2005

Erbium:YAG laser treatment of post-burn scars: potentials and limitations

Aletta Eberlein
- Department of Plastic Surgery and Burn Center, Cologne City Hospital, Teaching Hospital of University of Witten-Herdecke, Ostmerheimer Str. 200, 51109 Cologne, Germany
- Corresponding author.
Hadrian Schepler
- Department of Hand and Plastic Surgery, Klinikum Lüdenscheid, Teaching Hospital of University of Bonn, Paulmannshöher Str. 14, 58515 Lüdenscheid, Germany
Gerald Spilker
- Department of Plastic Surgery and Burn Center, Cologne City Hospital, Teaching Hospital of University of Witten-Herdecke, Ostmerheimer Str. 200, 51109 Cologne, Germany
Peter Altmeyer
- Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University of Bochum, St. Josef-Hospital, Gudrunstr. 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany
Bernd Hartmann
- Department of Plastic Surgery and Burn Center, Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin, Warener Str. 7, 12683 Berlin, Germany

Accepted 1 June 2004.

Abstract

Erbium:YAG lasers are successfully used to treat a variety of epidermal and dermal lesions, including rhytides, dyschromias, and certain types of scars. To date, however, no report has focused on the experiences with this laser in reconstructive burn surgery.

Since 2001, the Erbium:YAG laser has become an integral part of the treatment of postburn scars at the Berlin Burn Center. This paper presents the techniques applied and clinical experiences obtained. In addition, a new stripe technique is introduced, which avoids healing disturbances in scars following deep burns.

In conclusion, the Erbium:YAG laser has proven to be a valuable supplementary tool for the improvement of cosmetically disturbing mild postburn scars. It is particularly handy in areas difficult to treat, such as the eyes, nose, lips, and fingers. The individual advantages of the Erbium:YAG laser, other laser systems, and dermabrasion for the treatment of burn scars are compared in a brief survey.

Keywords: Erbium:YAG laser, Scars, Burns, Wound-healing, Review