Pulsed Dye Laser Treatment of Port Wine Stain Birthmarks: Comparison of 577 nm Versus 595 nm Wavelengths

• Improvement in blanching for the 577 nm PDL therapy in comparison with 595 nm [ Time Frame: 8 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  

In this single center pilot study, PWS subjects will have half of their PWS treated using a PDL operating at a wavelength of 577 nm. The other half of the PWS will be treated using a PDL operating at a wavelength of 595 nm. The researchers' expect that the PWS treated with the 577 nm PDL will have improved PWS blanching responses than the areas treated with 595 nm PDL. The degree of PWS blanching which will be quantified objectively using visible reflectance spectroscopy (VRS) measurements.

Subjects will be recruited from an outpatient population of subjects with PWS at the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine. Subjects with the requisite diagnosis of PWS (previously laser-treated or untreated) will be candidates for enrollment.

In this single center pilot study, PWS subjects will have half of their PWS treated using a PDL operating at a wavelength of 577 nm. The other half of the PWS will be treated using a PDL operating at a wavelength of 595 nm.

Both PDL are FDA-approved for PWS laser treatment. Both PDL are manufactured by Candela Laser Corporation (Wayland , MA).

Post-treatment blanching responses as determined quantitatively by visual reflectance spectroscopy (VRS) will be compared with pre-treatment measurements of PWS fractional blood volume.

Further patient treatment will be dictated based on which wavelength resulted in the best therapeutic outcome in terms of PWS blanching. Subjects will be offered the opportunity to continue receiving treatment with the wavelength that produced the base clinical results.