[Yellow light laser photocoagulation of vascular malformations in the head and neck area]

Laser surgery techniques have become well established in otolaryngology. Yellow light lasers emit light in the visible spectrum. Laser light in the spectrum of 380-700 nm shows different effects after absorption at a specific chromophore. For the treatment of vascular lesions of the skin controlled absorption of energy by blood is necessary to avoid uncontrolled damage and vaporization. Chromophores of the skin which absorb energy transmitted by laser light are hemoglobin, bilirubin, oxyhemoglobin, beta carotene, collagen and melanin. The penetration of the laser light depends on its wavelength. In vascular lesions oxyhemoglobin is the chromophore whereas melanin is the chromophore in pigmented malformations. The argon-pumped dye laser, copper vapor and flash-lamp pumped dye laser emit laser light of 577, 578 and 585 nm. These lasers are especially useful for photocoagulation of oxyhemoglobin and for selective destruction of vascular tissue. The risk of hypotrophic or hypertrophic scarring is minimal (< 1%) because there is less alteration of the overlying dermis. The aim of the present study was to test, in a clinical setting, the copper vapor laser in vascular lesions of the head and neck.