Clinical Evaluations of Cryosurgery for Nevus of Ota

Whang, Kyu Kwang

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cryosurgical treatment for nevus of Ota could be effective and cheap, but has not been introduced too much in detail.
OBJECTIVE
This study was done to evaluate the clinical efficacy according to its determinants, and the complications of cryosurgery.
METHODS
109 patients with nevus of Ota were treated with hard chalk dry ice which contacted the skin consistently of was rolled fast. Accessible patients were evaluated by phone or direct interview.
RESULTS
Satisfactions assessed by patients after cryosurgery were excellent 21%, moderate 51%, fair 17% and poor 11%, respectively. Satisfactions assessed by doctor were quite higher than those by patient. Satisfactions assessed by patients were affected by clinical determinants such as age over 40 and color of the lesion, but not by clinical type, number of sessions, and combinations with laser. Complications were in the following order : textural change, hypopigmentation, hypertrophic scar, persistent erythema, hyperpigmentation, infection and milia formation.
CONCLUSION
Cryosurgery using dry ice for the treatment of nevus of Ota was quite effective but technical improvements for decreasing complications or combinations with Q switched laser and other surgical techniques might be required.