Fractional Photothermolysis for the Treatment of Burn Scars

The aim of our study is to determine the effect of fractional photothermolysis laser in the treatment of burn scars.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Scar
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Fractional laser treatment; Procedure: Standard scar management

Detailed Description

One of the main problems in the management of burned patients is the treatment of post-burn scarring. Frequently this scars cover large areas, tend to retract, present pigmentary changes and are disfiguring, producing significant life quality impairment.

Unfortunately, there are very few therapeutic options for treating these scars, which can be secondary to reconstructive surgery or after spontaneous healing. In the last decades most reports in scar treatment have included, pressure garments, chemical peeling, dermabrasion, ablative and non-ablative laser therapy and surgery with varying degrees of success. There is only one report treating burn scars with fractional laser, with good results.

The aim of our study is to determine the effect of of a second-generation erbium-doped 1,550-nm fractional photothermolysis laser (Fraxel SR laser, Reliant Technologies Inc.) in the treatment of burn scars.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 10
• Phase: Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Rodrigo Schwartz, MD; Phone Number: 56-2-6108661; Email: schwartz.rodrigo@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Chile
  • RM
    • Santiago, RM, Chile
      • Clinica Las Condes
      • Contact: Rodrigo J Schwartz, MD; Phone Number: 56-2-6108661
      • Contact: Fresia Solias; Email: investigacion@coaniquem.cl
      • Principal Investigator: Rodrigo J Schwartz, MD
      • Sub-Investigator: Fresia Solis
      • Sub-Investigator: Gonzalo Eguiguren, MD
      • Sub-Investigator: Jorge Rojas, MD
      • Sub-Investigator: pedro lobos, MD
      • Sub-Investigator: Patricia Apt, MD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 years to 16 years (CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Burn scars should be located on the anterior thorax or abdomen with at least 4 months of evolution.
• The scar should be slightly elevated, with erythema and with no signs of keloid formation.
• Maximum scar dimension: 0.2 - 1% body surface area.
• Acceptance of informed consent for laser treatment.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous non-surgical treatment (i.e. dermabrasion, laser, peelings, bleaching agent. etc).
• Previous surgical treatment (i.e. graft)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Masking: NONE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Laser treated scar; The standard treated scar arm consists of a similar lesion in an equivalent location in the same patient or the half of a lesion that is suitable to be divided (size at least 4% body surface area). This arm will be managed only with standard burn treatment modalities.	Procedure: Fractional laser treatment; A complete treatment will consist in four laser sessions with a second-generation erbium-doped 1,550-nm fractional photothermolysis laser (Fraxel SR laser, Reliant Technologies Inc at 1-month intervals. Treatment will be delivered with a 15-mm tip and concomitant air-cooling system (Zimmer MedizinSystems, Irvine, CA). Fluence and treatment level will be registered on every session and will be adjusted according to patient tolerance.
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Standard scar management; The standard scar management arm consists of a similar lesion in an equivalent location in the same patient or the half of a lesion that is suitable to be divided (size at least 4% body surface area). This arm will be managed only with standard burn treatment modalities.	Procedure: Standard scar management; The standard treated scar arm consists of a similar lesion in an equivalent location in the same patient or the half of a lesion that is suitable to be divided (size at least 4% body surface area). This arm will be managed only with standard burn treatment modalities.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Evidence of improvement in color and texture of burn scars, using digital colorimeter and digital photography.	5 months
Adverse effects: pain, erythema, edema, hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, hypertrophic scar and keloid formation	5 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change in surface area and perimeter of burn scar	5 months
Tissue pliability, elevation and flexibility with a digital piedemeter	5 months
Change in collagen fiber organization and blood vessel density with a reflectance laser confocal microscope.	5 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Clinica las Condes, Chile
• Collaborators: Solta Medical; Corporacion de ayuda al niño quemado (COANIQUEM)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Rodrigo J Schwartz, MD, Clinica Las Condes

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Chrastil B, Glaich AS, Goldberg LH, Friedman PM. Second-generation 1,550-nm fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of acne scars. Dermatol Surg. 2008 Oct;34(10):1327-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2008.34284.x.
• Glaich AS, Rahman Z, Goldberg LH, Friedman PM. Fractional resurfacing for the treatment of hypopigmented scars: a pilot study. Dermatol Surg. 2007 Mar;33(3):289-94; discussion 293-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2007.33058.x.
• Haedersdal M. Fractional ablative CO(2) laser resurfacing improves a thermal burn scar. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2009 Nov;23(11):1340-1. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2009.03215.x. Epub 2009 Mar 4. No abstract available.
• Haedersdal M, Moreau KE, Beyer DM, Nymann P, Alsbjorn B. Fractional nonablative 1540 nm laser resurfacing for thermal burn scars: a randomized controlled trial. Lasers Surg Med. 2009 Mar;41(3):189-95. doi: 10.1002/lsm.20756.
• Waibel J, Beer K. Fractional laser resurfacing for thermal burns. J Drugs Dermatol. 2008 Jan;7(1):59-61.
• Waibel J, Beer K. Ablative fractional laser resurfacing for the treatment of a third-degree burn. J Drugs Dermatol. 2009 Mar;8(3):294-7.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: November 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED): April 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 30, 2009
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 30, 2009
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): November 1, 2009

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): November 1, 2009
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 30, 2009
• Last Verified: October 1, 2009

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Scars secondary to injuries to tissues caused by contact with physical (heat, electricity) o chemical agent.
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Fibrosis; Cicatrix
• Other Study ID Numbers: CLCCQFQ-1