Efficacy of Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser in the Treatment of Mature Burn Scars: A Clinical, Histopathological, and Histochemical Study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of fractional carbon dioxide laser use in the treatment of mature burn scars. This was an uncontrolled, open-label clinical trial. The setting for this study was Dermatology Department at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt. Twenty patients with mature burn scars were included in the study. Three fractional carbon dioxide laser sessions were given, 4 to 8 weeks apart. Primary outcome was measured using two scar scales, the Vancouver Scar Scale and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale. Secondary outcomes included evaluation of collagen and elastic fibers using routine hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome, and orcein stains. Outcomes were measured two months after the last laser session. Both Vancouver Scar Scale and Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale showed significant reduction following treatment (