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(10) Venous lakes—treattnent by infrared coagulation
Author(s) -
Colver G.B.,
Hunter J.A.A.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1987.tb12028.x
Subject(s) - medicine , vein , surgery , cryosurgery , high energy , coagulation , biomedical engineering , radiology , engineering physics , psychiatry , engineering
Venous lakes are formed from dilated venules lined with endothelium, and occur most commonly on the lips and ears. They are quite common after middle age. Treatment is usually sought for cosmetic reasons or because of bleeding after minor trauma. Such lesions have been destroyed with cautery, cryosurgery and more recently, with an argon laser. We have treated 10 lesions with an infrared coagulator (MBB AT Model IRK 151) using a pulse duration of 1·125 s. Each treatment has been successful and has given excellent cosmetic results. This method has two advantages over others. Firstly, the solid light guide enables the operator to compress the lesion prior to coagulation: it becomes a thin fiat structure emptied of blood, and less energy is required to destroy it. Secondly, the coagulator has an electronic timer which enables exactly the same energy to be applied on each occasion, making this procedure reproducible even by an inexperienced operator. The technique and clinical results are described and illustrated.