Successful treatment of a widespread inflammatory verrucous epidermal nevus with etanercept.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Jeffrey S Dover.
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Innovations in lasers, light and radiofrequency devices have allowed for improved therapeutic efficacy and safety and the ability to treat patients with an ever-increasing number of medical and aesthetic indications. Safety remains a primary concern and the timely communication of complications and their management is vital to insure that treatments be as safe as possible. The purpose of this report on the Proceedings of the First International Laser Surgery Morbidity Meeting is to provide laser experts the opportunity to present and discuss complications that their patients have experienced and how they were successfully managed. METHODS: Laser experts were invited to present complications of laser, light, and radiofrequency treatments that their patients have experienced and to discuss the potential mechanisms leading to the complications their management and final outcomes. RESULTS: Nineteen unique cases are presented and the clinical management of each case discussed. Eighteen sets of pre- and post-operative photos are presented. CONCLUSION: This report shows that even experts, with extensive experience using light-based therapies, can and do have patients who develop complications. Sound clinical judgment, and knowing how to avoid complications and their timely post-operative management, is essential to insure optimal therapeutic outcome.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Monopolar radiofrequency (RF) treatment is used by physicians to heat skin and promote tissue tightening and contouring. Cosmetic fillers are used to soften deep facial lines and wrinkles. Patients who have had dermal fillers implanted may also benefit from or are candidates for monopolar RF skin tightening. This study examined the effect of RF treatment on various dermal filler substances. This is the second part of a two-part study. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: A juvenile farm pig was injected with dermal fillers including cross-linked human collagen (Cosmoplast), polylactic acid (PLA) (Sculptra), liquid injectable silicone (Silikon 1000), calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) (Radiesse), and hyaluronic acid (Restylane). Skin injected with dermal fillers was RF-treated using a 1.5-cm2 treatment tip and treatment levels typically used in the clinical setting. Fillers were examined histologically 5 days, 2 weeks, or 1 month after treatment. Histological specimens were scored for inflammatory response, foreign body response, and fibrosis in order to assess the effect of treatment on early filler processes, such as inflammation and encapsulation. RESULTS: Each filler substance produced a characteristic inflammatory response. No immediate thermal effect of RF treatment was observed histologically. RF treatment resulted in statistically significant increases in the inflammatory, foreign body, and fibrotic responses associated with the filler substances. CONCLUSIONS: Monopolar RF treatment levels that are typically used in the clinical setting were employed in this animal study. RF treatment resulted in measurable and statistically significant histological changes associated with the various filler materials. Additional clinical and histological studies are required to determine the optimal timing of monopolar RF treatment and filler placement for maximal potential aesthetic outcome.
BACKGROUND: Cosmetic dermatologic procedures offer the promise of visible aesthetic enhancement with minimal risk. While in recent years the number of available procedures has proliferated, there are few objective methods for evaluating the relative quality of these procedures for particular indications or specific patients. OBJECTIVE: (A) To develop a simple, easy-to-use numerical rating scale to assess the quality of cosmetic surgical procedures on a range of parameters pertaining to clinical efficacy and patient satisfaction; (B) to statistically validate the discriminative value of this rating scale. METHODS: (A) Patient and physician interviews were performed to elicit a list of factors that may collectively characterize the clinical efficacy and patient tolerability of cosmetic dermatologic procedures. A 0-100 point rating scale was developed based on these factors, with the face-validity of this scale checked by a group of patients and physicians; (B) Statistical analysis of the questionnaire was performed by asking 15 expert cosmetic dermatologic surgeons to use it to rate 23 common cosmetic dermatologic procedures, and analyzing the results. RESULTS: (A) An easy-to-use scale was constructed to assess the quality of cosmetic dermatologic procedures by rating the associated cost, risk, time (procedure and recovery), discomfort, results, and longevity of benefit. A "physician adjustment factor" was used to further increase the relevance of this 0-100 point scale for specific patients; (B) Repeated-measures analysis of variations (ANOVAs) performed on the data from the survey of experts demonstrated that this scale can be used to discriminate between common dermatologic procedures. The differences in mean subscores and total scores among procedures grouped by anatomic site and target lesion-type were significant at the level of P < .05. LIMITATIONS: Patient preferences exogenous to the rating scale may increase or decrease the suitability of specific procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Common cosmetic dermatologic procedures are of uniformly high quality, as per expert ratings on a systematic measure. This quality rating scale appears statistically valid and robust, given that expert raters assigned similar ratings to the same procedures but mean ratings were different across procedures. In the future, this quality rating scale can be used to assess novel interventions, and to help dermatologic surgeons faced with patient concern to optimally select among alternative procedures for a given indication.
BACKGROUND: Pulsed dye laser has been used to decrease erythema and telangiectasia associated with scars, including surgical scars. There is limited evidence indicating improved surgical scar appearance if pulsed dye laser treatments are commenced immediately at the time of suture removal. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a single one-pass pulsed dye laser treatment at the time of suture removal can improve the appearance of surgical scars. METHODS: Randomized controlled trial enrolling 20 patients (complete data for 17 patients) at two geographic sites, with blinded ratings of pre- and post-treatment photographs obtained at various time points. Included patients underwent elliptical excision for atypical nevi of the trunk and/or extremities, with at least one resulting scar of at least 5 cm in length or two scars of at least 2.5 cm in length. For each patient, each scar or half-scar (if a larger scar was used) was randomized to treatment or control groups. Treatment scars received a single one-pass treatment with a 595 nm pulsed dye laser (Vbeam, Candela Corporation, Wayland, MA, USA) at the time of suture removal (ie, 2 weeks after excision) at the following parameters: 7 J/cm2 fluence, 7 mm spot size, 1.5-millisecond pulse duration, and 30-millisecond spray, 20-millisecond delay of dynamic cooling. The treatment area included 1 cm on either side of the scar, and the round laser spots were overlapped 10%. Control scars were not treated with laser. RESULTS: Immediate purpura was induced from the laser treatment Six weeks after laser treatment, no significant difference was found in the clinical appearance of surgical scars treated with a single pulsed dye laser treatment on suture removal day versus those surgical scars not treated with laser. Parameters on which no significant difference was found included visibility of incision, erythema, hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, induration, and atrophy. Both sets of scars improved over time. CONCLUSIONS: A single pulsed dye laser treatment at the time of suture removal does not appear to have a beneficial effect on clinical scar appearance. The point of minimal benefit for such laser treatments may lie somewhere between one and three treatments.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Nonablative laser treatments have become increasingly used for the treatment of acne scarring and photoaging. While nonablative laser treatments are more convenient and relatively safer than ablative laser resurfacing, efficacy and patient satisfaction with the level of improvement of textural abnormalities in acne scarring and rhytids associated with photoaging needs further study. DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Structured interviews were performed with 34 patients from a referral-based academic practice who each previously received a series of 6 monthly treatments with a 1,320 nm neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser for treatment of acne scarring or photoaging. Topical anesthesia was applied 1 hour before each treatment. Patients were interviewed at least 3 months after cessation of treatment (range 3-12 months). RESULTS: Patients tolerated the treatments well. Combined results for acne scarring and photoaging patients were as follows: (a) patient satisfaction with treatment was rated at 62%, and (b) textural improvement was reported at 31% at the end of the six treatments, and 30% at the date of interview. When results were stratified by diagnosis, patient satisfaction was slightly higher for treatment of acne scarring than for photoaging. Overall degree of improvement on a 1-10 scale was 5.4 for acne scarring and 3.8 for wrinkling. CONCLUSION: Nonablative treatment with the 1,320 nm Nd:YAG laser induced significant patient-reported improvement in both acne scarring and photoaging. The majority of patients reported satisfaction with the degree of improvement.
BACKGROUND: The adjunctive use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) with intense pulsed-light (IPL) treatments has been suggested to increase the benefit of IPL for photoaging; however, to our knowledge, no controlled trials have been performed. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, controlled, split-face study was designed. Twenty subjects participated in a series of 3 split-face treatments 3 weeks apart in which half of the face was pretreated with 5-ALA followed by IPL treatment while the other half was treated with IPL alone. Two additional full-face treatments (with IPL alone) were then delivered 3 weeks apart. Assessment of global photodamage, fine lines, mottled pigmentation, tactile roughness, and sallowness (on a scale of 0-4) was performed by a blinded investigator before each treatment and 4 weeks after the final treatment. Patients also completed an assessment at the conclusion of the study comparing their results with pretreatment photographs. RESULTS: All 20 volunteers completed the study. Pretreatment with 5-ALA resulted in more improvement in the global score for photoaging (16 [80%] subjects vs 9 [45%] subjects; P = .008) and mottled pigmentation (19 [95%] subjects vs 12 [60%] subjects; P = .008) than IPL treatment alone. More successful results were achieved on the side pretreated with 5-ALA compared with the side treated with IPL alone for fine lines (12 [60%] subjects vs 5 [25%] subjects; P = .008) and mottled pigmentation (17 [85%] subjects vs 4 [20%] subjects; P < .001). While there was noticeable improvement over baseline scores with respect to tactile roughness and sallowness, pretreatment with 5-ALA did not seem to enhance the results of the IPL treatment. The final investigator cosmetic evaluations (P=.0002) and subject satisfaction scores (P=.005) were significantly better for the 5-ALA-pretreated side. Both treatments were well tolerated, with little difference in the incidence or profile of adverse effects with or without 5-ALA pretreatment. CONCLUSIONS: The adjunctive use of 5-ALA in the treatment of facial photoaging with IPL provides significantly greater improvement in global photodamage, mottled pigmentation, and fine lines than treatment with IPL alone, without a significant increase in adverse effects. This combination treatment enhances the results of photorejuvenation and improves patient satisfaction.
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A recent article published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology reviewed adverse events regarding botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) reported to the Food and Drug Administration between 1989 and 2003. Although postmarketing surveillance is a vital mechanism to ensure drug safety, the events reported in this paper must be considered in context to be appropriately interpreted. The majority of data was related to therapeutic rather than cosmetic use. The proportion of serious adverse events was 33-fold higher for therapeutic use and no deaths were reported after cosmetic use. The data were derived from a spontaneous reporting system and do not include assessments of causality between the BTX-A and purported adverse events. The report notes that over a third of these events were related to off-label use of BTX-A, a common practice in dermatology, yet no significant differences were reported in rates of adverse events between on-label and off-label use. The report reflects a favorable safety profile for cosmetic use of BTX-A, and if misinterpreted, could lead to unreasonable conclusions regarding a product considered to be highly safe and effective.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a 585 nm flashlamp pulsed-dye laser for the nonablative treatment of facial rhytides. METHODS: A multicenter prospective randomized controlled study on 58 volunteers was performed. A split-face approach was adopted, with one periorbital region acting as a control and the other receiving either one or two treatments. Patients were photographed and imaged three-dimensionally before and after treatment. Histologic sections were analyzed. RESULTS: Three-dimensional topographic evaluation showed improvements of 9.8% (p = .0022) and 15% (p = .0029) in surface roughness for single and double treatments, respectively. Histology revealed an increase in type I collagen messenger ribonucleic acid expression, type III procollagen, chondroitin sulfate, and grenz zone thickness. Two treatments resulted in greater improvement than one treatment. CONCLUSION: Clinical improvement was achieved following a single treatment. Further improvement was observed following a second treatment. The subjective evaluation of clinical improvement was consistent with both histologic and topographic quantitative measurements.
Laser resurfacing of photodamaged or scarred skin has traditionally involved the use of ablative lasers with their associated limitations and side effects. Nonablative skin rejuvenation is a relatively new concept in facial rejuvenation, which aims to induce dermal remodeling without visible epidermal disruption. A number of laser devices and light sources, emitting at various wavelengths, have been shown to effectively enhance the appearance of facial skin through nonablative mechanisms. Among the conditions that can be treated with this novel modality are erythema, telangiectasia, pigmentation, lentigines, and textural imperfections ranging from fine and moderate rhytides to other surface irregularities such as acne scarring. A major attraction of nonablative laser therapy is the very limited downtime after each treatment, making it an ideal method for patients seeking a minimally invasive procedure with an excellent safety profile.
BACKGROUND: Given the recent interest in light-emitting diode (LED) photomodulation and minimally invasive nonablative laser therapies, it is timely to investigate reports that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) may have utility in wound healing. OBJECTIVES: To critically evaluate reported in vitro models and in vivo animal and human studies and to assess the qualitative and quantitative sufficiency of evidence for the efficacy of LLLT in promoting wound healing. METHOD: Literature review, 1965 to 2003. RESULTS: In examining the effects of LLLT on cell cultures in vitro, some articles report an increase in cell proliferation and collagen production using specific and somewhat arbitrary laser settings with the helium neon (HeNe) and gallium arsenide lasers, but none of the available studies address the mechanism, whether photothermal, photochemical, or photomechanical, whereby LLLT may be exerting its effect. Some studies, especially those using HeNe lasers, report improvements in surgical wound healing in a rodent model; however, these results have not been duplicated in animals such as pigs, which have skin that more closely resembles that of humans. In humans, beneficial effects on superficial wound healing found in small case series have not been replicated in larger studies. CONCLUSION: To better understand the utility of LLLT in cutaneous wound healing, good clinical studies that correlate cellular effects and biologic processes are needed. Future studies should be well-controlled investigations with rational selection of lasers and treatment parameters. In the absence of such studies, the literature does not appear to support widespread use of LLLT in wound healing at this time. Although applications of high-energy (10-100 W) lasers are well established with significant supportive literature and widespread use, conflicting studies in the literature have limited low-level laser therapy (LLLT) use in the United States to investigational use only. Yet LLLT is used clinically in many other areas, including Canada, Europe, and Asia, for the treatment of various neurologic, chiropractic, dental, and dermatologic disorders. To understand this discrepancy, it is useful to review the studies on LLLT that have, to date, precluded Food and Drug Administration approval of many such technologies in the United States. The fundamental question is whether there is sufficient evidence to support the use of LLLT.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the volume of solution used to inject equivalent units of botulinum exotoxin A affects the diffusion of toxin and areas of rhytid diminution in the treatment of dynamic forehead lines. DESIGN: Ten volunteers with dynamic forehead lines were included. Each study patient received a single injection at a point 2.5 cm above the orbital rim on either side of the forehead with equivalent units, but in different volumes, of botulinum exotoxin A. The sides of injection were randomized; one side of the patient's forehead was injected first with 5 U of botulinum exotoxin A in 0.25 mL (2 U/0.1 mL) of preserved saline in the midpupillary line, followed by injection of the other side with 5 U in 0.05 mL of preserved saline (2 U/0.02 mL). There was a 5-fold difference in volume injected. Subjects were evaluated 14 days later for total area affected during visual inspection of the subjects' foreheads during active muscle contraction. SETTING: Private dermatology office. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Visual inspection to measure the area of rhytid effacement in both height and width. RESULTS: The area affected by the botulinum exotoxin A injection was 50% greater in the side with the larger volume in 9 of 10 subjects. The average area affected was 6.05 cm(2) for the injection of the larger volume compared with 4.12 cm(2) for the injection with the smaller volume. The shape of rhytid effacement was oval, rather than round, with the average width longer than the average height. CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective, randomized, controlled study, we found that injection of botulinum exotoxin A in low concentration and higher volume resulted in greater diffusion and a larger affected area. The pattern of toxin spread is altered by muscular contraction in the injected sites. These results show that the dilution has implications on the desired effect of botulinum exotoxin A.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Improvements in the physical signs of photoaging can be achieved by non-invasive laser resurfacing procedures. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Nd:YAG 1,064 nm and KTP 532 nm lasers for non-invasive skin rejuvenation. STUDY DESIGN/PATIENTS AND METHODS: Subjects requesting non-invasive skin rejuvenation underwent two treatments with the 532 nm laser to one side of the face and with both lasers to the other side, followed by three treatments with the 1,064 nm laser to both sides. Skin characteristics were evaluated before, during, and up to 4 months after treatment. RESULTS: A >25% improvement in overall skin condition was observed for >30% of subjects at the 1 month follow-up and >40% of subjects at the 4 month follow-up. The greatest improvements were observed for visual dryness, roughness, and uneven pigmentation. No adverse events were reported. There was a trend for greater improvement in patients who received more 1,064 nm treatments but this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The 532 nm KTP and 1,064 nm Nd: YAG lasers can be effectively and safely used for non-invasive skin rejuvenation.
BACKGROUND: Laser skin resurfacing (LSR) is a common cosmetic surgical procedure, yet there are no prospective long-term studies on patients' perceptions of their procedure. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively document patients' subjective experiences after LSR. DESIGN: Twenty-seven consecutive patients who underwent combination carbon dioxide/erbium:YAG full-face laser resurfacing for acne scarring or photodamage were surveyed at postoperative days 1 and 3, within 1 week, at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 30 months and asked standardized questions. SETTING: Referral-based academic practice. RESULTS: One day after LSR, 10 patients (37%) were concerned about the outcome, and 3 (11%) considered it a "terrible" experience. At 2.7 days after the procedure, 23 patients (85%) would recommend LSR, and after 3.7 days, 24 (89%) would have the procedure again. At 3 months, the patients' mean rating of appearance was 2.3 (0-3 scale), and all 27 (100%) felt that their appearance had been improved by LSR. After 30 months, 18 patients (75%) would recommend the procedure, 17 (71%) would have LSR again, 21 (88%) felt that their appearance was improved, and final appearance was rated 1.8 (0-3 scale). Patients undergoing LSR to treat acne scarring were as satisfied as patients treated for photodamage. CONCLUSIONS: Data on the evolution of patient perspective after LSR can improve patient preparation. This may help the surgeon and patient achieve shared, realistic expectations for the postoperative period and for long-term results.
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nonablative laser and light treatments have largely replaced ablative laser therapy in clinical use for the improvement of the visible signs of cutaneous photoaging, including rhytides, vascular lesions, and pigmentation. However, the mechanisms underlying the reported clinical efficacy of nonablative treatments are not well-understood. The purpose of this analysis is to critically evaluate what is known about histologic and tissue effects of nonablative laser therapy and suggest future directions for research. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a review of the English language literature pertaining to nonablative laser and light treatments available through MEDline (1995-2002), and unpublished reports presented at major national meetings. Only studies that included harvesting and analysis of tissue samples are included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: (a) Thermal injury to the dermis in association with epidermal cooling most likely affects the dermal vasculature, which initiates a cascade of inflammatory events that includes fibroblastic proliferation and apparent up-regulation of collagen expression; (b) There is no indication that nonablative treatments are harmful or able to induce skin cancer; (c) It is possible that the horizontally distributed collagen reported after nonablative treatments is a "microscar," an enlarged Grenz sone associated with repetitive photo-induced trauma; (d) Further research is needed to elucidate the biophysical mechanisms underlying nonablative treatment, as well as to distinguish the utility of different wavelengths on epidermal and dermal improvement.