John Harvey

Burns Unit ,The Children’s Hospital at Westmead ,Hawkesbury Rd Westmead  NSW 2145

There is increasing evidence for the use of laser therapy for Burns scars with increasing reports of the successful use of the Pulse Dye vascular laser and fractional ablative therapy using the Co2 laser.

Laser therapy was introduced into the scar management program at The CHW Burns Unit in 2014.This paper reports our initial experience with use of the Laser in 28 children with burns scars over a 2year period .

The Candela pulsed dye vascular laser  was used in 5 patients with vascular scars and the Lumenis Ultrapulse Co2 laser was used in 20 patients with mature hypertrophic scars.

Results were assessed predominately using digital photography and patient and parent feedback.

The results suggest that Laser therapy has only a minimal effect on both vascular ,hypertrophic scars and on band contractures. Better objective evidence is needed to justify the expense of laser therapy and increased need for general anaesthesia which it entails.

Parrett BM Donelan MB .Pulsed dye Laser in burns Scars current concepts and future direction Burns. 36(4) 443-9 2010

Waibel J Beer K Ablative Fractional Laser resurfacing for the treatment of a Third -degree burn.J Drugs in Dermatology 2009  8(3)294- 297

Key Words

Burns scars, Children, Laser therapy