Lasers in surgery and medicine
-
A number of lasers are available for cutaneous periorbital surgery, yet not all eye shields are appropriate for all applications. We tested a variety of commercially available eye shields to assess their safety features. ⋯ Overall, the metallic eye shields had the most acceptable safety profile. Many of the plastic shields exhibited significant thermal damage, and therefore we discourage their use in periorbital laser surgery.
-
In psoriasis the blood vessels are enlarged and dilated. These vessels, the psoriatic microvasculature, have been implicated as participating in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The purpose of this preliminary study was to use the flash-lamp-pumped pulsed dye laser, which selectively damages dermal vessels, to treat psoriatic plaques and to evaluate the role of the vasculature in the therapeutic response. ⋯ Pulsed dye laser therapy may improve plaque psoriasis. This improvement may be related to the role the microvasculature plays in psoriasis.