Laser therapy in the treatment of cicatricial ectropion

The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of laser therapy in treating cicatricial ectropion.

Seven patients with cicatricial ectropion were entered into this clinical study. The ectropions were pretreated with the 595-nm pulsed dye laser if the scar color was red. If there was no red, the UltraPulse fractional CO₂ laser was used and parameters were adapted according to the height of scar. MEBT/MEBO was used after laser treatment for wound healing. The degree of ectropion was measured for changes before and after treatment, and the scars were evaluated for changes in melanin, height, vascularity, and pliability using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) before and after treatment.

All seven patients with cicatricial ectropion entered into this protocol were completely corrected after 1-2 treatment sessions. The total VSS score, as well as the score for melanin and pliability in 7 patients, showed a decrease following the treatments, and this was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The scores for height and vascularity showed a decrease following the treatments, but there was no significant difference by statistical analysis (P ≥ 0.05). There were no adverse reactions reported.

The treatment of cicatricial ectropion with laser therapy can not only correct the ectropion, but also improve the scars in the treatment area. Compared with the traditional repair of cicatricial ectropion, the use of fractional CO₂ laser provides surgical precision and the advantage of a timely treatment without the need to wait for the scar to stabilize.