Treatment of portwine marks by an argon laser.

Although the treatment of the ordinarily incurable portwine birthmark by lasers has been practiced for more than 10 years, recent therapeutic investigations have been carried out particularly with the argon laser. Argon lasers now available for medical purposes produce treatment spots that are small. For certain practical reasons, at present, only relatively small portwine marks can be treated effectively. With trained personnel and proper safety measures, the treatment is safe for the patient and the operator. The treatment as yet is not proved to be better with the argon laser because the ruby laser and even an incoherent infrared thermal coagulator can produce similar and often larger cleared areas. It is recommended for the present that treatment of portwine marks by argon lasers be restricted to investigation in medical centers where critical evaluations, control studies, and more powerful laser systems can be developed.