Treatment of port wine stains with photodynamic therapy, using pulsed dye laser as a light source, compared with pulsed dye laser alone: a pilot study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Laser-induced photo thermal damage has been combined with photodynamic therapy (PDT) using a systemic photosensitiser to treat vascular lesions. The efficacy of PDT using systemic 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ALA) as the photosensitiser and pulsed dye laser (PDL) as the light source in port wine stains (PWS) is unknown. STUDY DESIGNS/MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted an internally controlled pilot study comparing the efficacy of PDT using PDL as a light source, to PDL alone in the treatment of PWS. RESULTS: The PWS improved slightly in all patients but no significant difference was found between the three treatment arms in terms of lesional lightening or incidence and severity of side effects. CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence of increased efficacy of PDT using PDL as a light source compared to PDL alone. There was also no significant difference in adverse events. Further studies using different treatment regimens over longer periods of time may be warranted.