Port wine stains are a type of skin discoloration that is caused by abnormal blood vessels in the skin. They are typically treated using lasers, but the laser treatment can often leave behind residual capillaries deep in the tissue, leading to a resurgence of the port wine stain. Ultrasound has also been proposed as a treatment, but it is nonselective and can cause damage to surrounding tissue.
In the study, the researchers proposed a new treatment that combines the advantages of both laser and ultrasound treatment. The new method, which uses a photoacoustic-guided ultrasound focusing methodology, combines the optical contrast-based selectivity of lasers with the deeper penetration of ultrasound.
The researchers performed two- and three-dimensional simulations to test the feasibility of the proposed methodology. The results demonstrated that the ultrasound energy could be focused onto the vasculature of the port wine stain while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue.
While the ultrasound focus was affected by experimental factors, the researchers demonstrated that the proposed methodology has the potential to destroy deeper capillaries while minimizing the resurgence of the port wine stain and cosmetic scarring.
The new treatment method is a promising development in the field of port wine stain treatment, and the researchers hope to continue to explore the potential of this hybrid treatment modality. Congratulations to Chloe J Chua on her groundbreaking research! And thank Dr. Prabodh Pandey for his wonderful mentoring to our undergraduate students!
Link of the publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/lsm.23609