@entity544 laser ablation as an alternative treatment for cutaneous metastases from malignant XXXX .

@entity1 @entity320 @entity544
Surgical excision of @entity320 metastases is practical only when the number of lesions is small. In some @entity1 isolated limb perfusion is not possible or fails to achieve control, and @entity544 laser ablation is then an alternative treatment. Between September 1992 and September 1994, 19 @entity1 aged 45-94 years were treated with @entity544 laser. Two @entity1 had received no previous limb perfusion, while the remaining 17 had up to three previous perfusions. The number of lesions per @entity1 ranged from three to 40 nodules. A Sharplan 1030 portable @entity544 laser was used, which generates a beam wavelength of 10.6 microns and has a maximum power output of 80 W. All procedures were carried out under general anaesthesia. Each lesion was destroyed with a focused laser beam of 10-20 W with a spot size of 0.5-1.0 mm. At a mean follow-up of 15 months, five @entity1 have died from the disease. Among the 14 survivors, eight have had no limb recurrence of the disease, three have had one further treatment and three a further two treatments to control cutaneous metastases at new sites. Early experience suggests that @entity544 laser ablation of cutaneous metastases is an effective palliative treatment after failed isolated limb perfusion, and there may be a group of @entity1 in whom laser ablation should be the initial treatment of choice.
