Surgical treatment of rhinophyma, conventional versus diode laser technique

Abstract EN

To evaluate and compare laser surgery with the conventional techniques including cold knives and dermobraders in the treatment of rhinophyma.

The study included 7 patients treated surgically for rhinophyma in the ENT dept., Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital in the period between 1997-2004.

All the patients were suffering from moderate to major rhinophyma, four patients were treated by sharp blade excision and three by Laser surgery; follow up periods extended between 1-4 years post-operatively.

The parameters employed for the evaluation were the length of procedure, preservation of normal tissues, the need for skin grafting, intra-operative bleeding, post-operative pain and discomfort, post-operative bleeding, and cosmetic end results.

In regard to the parameters we followed ; the Laser surgery in rhinophyma showed to be relatively longer than the conventional excision, but it was much more better in the aspect of tissue preservation, there was no need for skin grafting, very much less bleeding intra- operative, in general the laser surgery proved to be easier and smoother procedure, and cosmetic results have been excellent.

Laser surgery in the treatment of rhinophyma holds a distinct advantage over the other surgical modalities.