Lasers in medical science
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Lasers in medical science · Jul 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyA clinical comparison of topical piroxicam and EMLA cream for pain relief and inflammation in laser hair removal.
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of topical piroxicam and EMLA cream on pain control and subsequent inflammation in neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) 1,064 nm laser hair removal in female volunteers. Fifty female volunteers were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double-blind, clinical study over a 6-month period. Patients were randomly assigned to receive topical piroxicam as group Piroxicam or EMLA cream as group EMLA. ⋯ Inflammatory side effects were less frequent in group P than in group E after the procedure (P < 0.001). This study showed that topical piroxicam and EMLA provided adequate and similar pain relief after Nd:YAG 1,064 nm laser hair removal in female volunteers. Topical piroxicam was associated with fewer inflammatory side effects than was EMLA cream, because of its anti-inflammatory effect after the procedure.
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Lasers in medical science · May 2009
Histomorphological transformation of the auricular cartilage after carbon dioxide laser-assisted Mustardé otoplasty. An experimental study.
In an experiment on ten rabbits, 8 W carbon dioxide (CO(2)) laser evaporation of the perichondrium, together with one-third to one-half of the thickness of the auricle cartilage, was performed. Subsequently, the auricle was bent in the middle of the vaporized area, the corresponding surfaces of which were then apposed and fixed to each other with mattress sutures. ⋯ This revealed that the partially laser-ablated cartilage had grown together in the form of a solid cartilaginous column. The regeneration process, originating from chondroblasts as well as from perichondrium cells, was strongly stimulated by the laser energy delivered.
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Trichiasis, the misdirection of eyelashes arising from their normal sites of origin, may cause discomfort, corneal abrasions, ulceration and scarring. The therapies currently used for this condition have a variety of success rates and complications. ⋯ In six patients laser treatment was completely successful in achieving alopecia, in three patients the treatment was partly successful, and one patient was lost to follow up. In all cases ruby laser treatment was well tolerated, and there were no reported complications; thus, ruby laser treatment can be a viable and well-tolerated option for the relief of the symptoms of trichiasis.
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Lasers in medical science · Jul 2008
Transition from congress abstract to full publication for clinical trials presented at laser meetings.
The present study aims to identify (1) what proportion of abstracts of clinical trials presented at The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) annual meetings are published as full reports, (2) time to publication, and (3) factors that may predict the publication of research in peer-reviewed journals. Two investigators independently hand-searched all abstracts of the ASLMS meetings to identify all reports of clinical trials. Details of sample size, the country of origin, topic of research, type of presentation, type of laser, direction of outcome, and statistical significance were recorded for each abstract. ⋯ The average time from presentation at the meeting to full publication was 57 months (95% confidence interval = 52-61), and the estimated rate of abstracts published at 1, 2, and 4 years was 15, 30, and 38%, respectively. There is significant tendency for being fully published in high-power laser studies, with USA as country of origin, and orally presented. Our findings supports this opinion that conference abstracts can be an important source for systematic reviews and failure to identify trials presented in congresses might threaten the validity of systematic reviews.
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Lasers in medical science · Jan 2008
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyExcimer laser in myocardial infarction: a comparison between STEMI patients with established Q-wave versus patients with non-STEMI (non-Q).
Patients sustaining acute myocardial infarction (AMI) often require urgent percutaneous revascularization within the first 24 h from onset of the infarction due to continuous ischemia and hemodynamic instability. Upon arrival to the cardiac catheterization, the electrocardiogram of AMI patients may exhibit acute ST-elevation (STEMI) with or without accompanying Q-wave or depression of the ST segment (non-STEMI or non-Q-wave infarction). Data comparing acute outcome of device application in patients presenting for urgent revascularization with established Q-wave myocardial infarction (QWMI) versus those with non-STEMI (NQMI) are sparse. ⋯ Significant differences in baseline clinical characteristics, extent of myocardial damage, location of infarct related vessel, thrombus burden, and TIMI flow exist between QWMI and NQMI patients who require urgent intervention. However, application of excimer laser results in similar high procedural success and low complication rates in both groups. Maximal acute laser gain is achieved among QWMI patients whose lesions are laden with a heavy thrombus burden.