Fractional CO2 laser therapy of hypertrophic scars - evaluation of efficacy and treatment protocol optimization

Hypertrophic scars are an unwanted and mutilating consequence of deep burns, and are further exacerbated by extensive burn injuries. Fractional CO2 laser therapy is one of the methods for complex treatment of hypertrophic scars, it has been used since 2007 [1]. Although its effectiveness has been objectively proven in clinical practice, the optimal settings parameters have not been determined. To evaluate the effect of laser therapy, previously designed evaluation tools are used, which evaluate the quality of scars well, but fail to capture specific changes for the performed laser therapy.

Fractional CO2 laser therapy of hypertrophic scars is performed at the Department of Plastic and Esthetic Surgery, University Hospital Olomouc, since 2017 and the systematic study took place in 2019-2020. In common, 25 hypertrophic scars were treated in 13 patients; each scar was treated by fractional CO2 laser therapy more than once.

Statistical analysis detected statistically significant improvement of the texture of the scars and the improvement of overall functional and esthetic result. We found significant reduction of the height under 2 mm (62,5% of scars) in scars with the height > 2 mm before the initiation of laser therapy. Correlation analysis detected a statistically significant positive correlation between the energy of laser beam and the reduction volume of the scar protruding above the niveau of healthy surrounding tissue. Fractional CO2 laser therapy showed statistically significant efficacy in the reduction of the risks associated with full-format CO2 laser-therapy. Fractional treatment was very well tolerated by the patients. Topical 5% lidocaine gel was effective in 24 out of 25 patients. Further healing was without complications in all patients.

Fractional CO2 laser therapy has achieved statistically significant improvement of the texture and reduction of hypertrophic scars and overall improvement of functional and esthetic result in our study.