Wound Dressing after CO2 Laser Resurfacing using a New Dressing Material: Medifoam(R)

Jang, Sung Soo; Minn, Kyung Won

Abstract

CO2 laser resurfacing procedure on the face is an increasingly popular and highly effective for patients with facial rhytids and scarring. And there is a variety of dressing materials available for wound care after CO2 laser resurfacing. Among the dressing method, the authors have been used the Medifoam(R) (Il Dong Pharmaceutical Ltd. and Biopol Ltd.,Seoul, Korea; a hydrocelluar semi-permeable dressing material) after CO2 laser resurfacing. A total of 20 patients were treated for scar face and wrinkles (mainly scar face including small pox scar face) with ultra-pulsed CO2 lasers (Coherent, Palo Alto, USA). No pretreatment was done. The basic protocol of laser resurfacing was that, first pass was 300mJ on the shoulder of scar, second pass with 250-200mJ, and feathering with 150mJ. Immediately after the procedure, the wound must be cleansed and dried well so that the Medifoam(R) sticks better and early contamination is avoided. Medifoam(R) was fixed to wound surface using surgical tape or surgi-net. First dressing change was done after 24-48hours according to the amount of exudates. Because of the high absorption ability of the Medifoam(R), dressing change was not necessarily needed on postoperative day 1. Another dressing changes were done on days 3, 6, 9 postoperatively for evaluating wound healing and observation. The epithelialization was usually completed within 9 days in all cases. During the dressing change, there were no exudates outside, less crust, and less thin layer of gel formation on the wound surface than any other dressing materials. Also there was no detachment of reepithelialized layer on removing the dressing materials. The use of the Medifoam(R) after CO2 laser resurfacing accelerates the healing time, reduces the pain and anxiety of the patients due to exudation, reduces the inconvenience of the patients and surgeons by less dressing changes, and reduces the cost.