Clinical efficacy of CO2 fractional laser in treating post-burn hypertrophic scars in children: A meta-analysis: CO2 fractional laser in treating post-burn hypertrophic scars in children.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and explore the efficacy of CO2 fractional laser in treating post-burn hypertrophic scars in children through Meta-analysis. METHODS: English databases (PubMed, Web of Science and The National Library of Medicine), as well as Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data) were searched. RevMan 5.3 software was used to data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 10 pieces of literature were included, involving 413 children. Meta-analysis showed that (1) The average Vancouver Scar Scale after surgery was significantly lower than that before surgery [weight mean difference (WMD) = -3.56, 95% confidence interval (CI)-4.53,-2.58, p < 0.001]; (2) After CO2 fractional laser, pigmentation [WMD = -0.74, 95% CI-1.10,-0.38, p < 0.001], pliability [WMD = -0.92, 95% CI-1.20,-0.65, p < 0.001], vascularity [WMD = -0.77, 95% CI-1.09,-0.46, p < 0.001], height [WMD = -0.57, 95% CI-0.95,-0.19, p < 0.001] were improved compared with those before surgery. (3) The average Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) after surgery was significantly lower than that before surgery [WMD = -3.94, 95% CI-5.69,-2.22, p < 0.001]. (4) Both Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS)-Observer [WMD = -3.98, 95% CI-8.44,0.47, p < 0.001] and POSAS-Patient [WMD = -4.98, 95% CI-8.09,-1.87, p < 0.001] were significantly lower than those before surgery. (5) Erythema and vesicles were the most common complications after CO2 fractional laser therapy, with an incidence of 4.09%. CONCLUSION: CO2 fractional laser is beneficial to the recovery of hypertrophic scar after burn in children, and can effectively improve the scar symptoms and signs in children, with desirable clinical efficacy.