A Comparative Evaluation of Surgical, Electrosurgery and Diode Laser in the Management of Maxillofacial Nevus

Purpose To compare the post-operative wound healing of patients treated for excision of the nevus/mole from maxillofacial region with surgical, electrosurgery and diode laser. Materials and Methods Forty-five clinically confirmed cases of benign nevus were included in the study and randomly divided into three groups according to the technique used for excision, i.e. Group A—surgical excision, Group B—diode laser and Group C—electrosurgery. Post-operative wound evaluation was done using Stony Brook scar evaluation scale on post-operative photographs taken on days 7, 21 and 90 (3 months). Results Statistically, there was no significant difference between the three techniques on post-operative day 90. Clinically, hypopigmentation was noted with diode laser and electrosurgical excision of benign nevus. Conclusion Since all three techniques yielded statistically comparable results, the patients can be given a choice of technique to undergo surgery. Surgical excision being the most cost effective and nil post-operative hypopigmentation may be the treatment of choice for majority of the patients.