Histologic changes of nevus flammeus following copper vapor laser treatment

Chung, Joon; Nam, In Whan; Kim, Joong Gie; Ahn, Sung Ku; Lee, Seung Hun

Abstract

Nevus flammeus is a benign but cosmetically devascating congenital inalformation involving mature capillaries. The copper vapor laser is a therapeutic device which had been newly applied to this. Yellow copper vapor light is absorbed by the intraluminal oxyhemoglobulin mo ecules, leading to the destruction of blood vessels. This study was undertaken to evaluate the histobigic findings in a patient with nevus flammeus according to the sequential time after copper vapor laser therapy. The results were as followed, One hour after treatment, nonspecific damages to the epidermis and upper part of the dermis were observed. The specific damage to the vessels which showed thrombi formations and partial disruption of the vessel walls was prominent. One cay after treatment, degeneration of the epidermis and sepaiation of the dermoepidermal junction were apparent. Three days after treatment, extravasations of a small amount of erythrocytes and inflanimatory cell infiltrations were present, especially around the vessels. Seven days after treatment, the capillaries showed a deposition of fiorinoid material around themselves. Partial disappearance of the vessel walls was seen. There was hisi ologic evidence of the replacement of abnormal ectatic vessels by normal appearing vessels with small uminal diameters, surrounded by endothelial cells.