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The
Pulse Dye Laser (PDL) was developed over 20 years ago, initially to treat dermatological
conditions such as port wine stains on the face, head and neck, warts and, recently,
fine facial wrinkles located about the eyes and mouth.
The PDL has also
been used to successfully treat papillomas of the larynx, as well as to treat
dysplasia of the vocal cords. The PDL has shown to be far less tissue destructive
than the more commonly used CO2 laser. In fact, given what we now know about the
PDL, the CO2 laser is actually far more dangerous to the tissues (causes more
scarring and irreversible tissue injury) than the PDL. The significant advantage
of the PDL, and that which separates it from all other destructive lasers such
as CO2 and argon is that it selectively ablates the microvasculature of the lesion
in question, thereby sparing the surrounding normal tissue.
The PDL
penetrates epithelium without damaging it, and is selectively absorbed by the
underlying microvasculature. The PDL used in the Voice & Swallowing Center,
is used as part of the treatment administered for patients with laryngeal
papillomas. | | |
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