CO2-laser therapy in patients with vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia

It is generally accepted to consider vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia grade III (VIN III) a premalignant condition. The lesion is more frequently diagnosed in younger patients. Conventional surgical treatment is often mutilating and recurrence rates have been reported of approximately 30%. Laser vaporization is a promising alternative therapy. Ten patients with VIN III were treated with CO2 laser. Two patients were retreated with laser for residual disease, and two patients for recurrent disease. One failure was observed, and one patient was off-study. In all patients excellent cosmetic results were obtained. Laser vaporization appears to be an effective and nonmutilating therapy, and preferable for young VIN patients.