Management of an Extensive Vascular Lesion on the Lip by Photocoagulation with High-Intensity Diode Laser

Extensive vascular malformations (VM) pose difficulties for an effective management.

This article describes a very satisfactory result, both functional and aesthetic, following a management by the technique of photocoagulation using diode laser in an extensive VM lesion involving the lower lip and left buccal mucosa in a 25 year old male.

The patient reported that the lesion had been present since birth. The whole treatment, carried out under local anesthesia, spread over 6 months since as many as 4 sessions of laser, with a 1.5-month interval in each, were required. The resting period between sessions played an important part in treatment by allowing a time for the recovery of the patient and the shrinking of the lesion.

The patient had no complications during the laser sessions, and his postoperative period was uneventful. No recurrence has been seen after a 2.5-year follow-up.