Background: Hypertrophic scars (HTSs) and keloids are prevalent dermatological complaints caused by alternation of the normal process of wound-healing.
Aim: To determine the comparative effects of ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser combined with Injection of 5-fluorouracil versus intralesional injection of 5- fluorouracil and ablative fractional CO2 laser each as monotherapy in the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids.
Patients and Methods: Thirty patients with hypertrophic scars and keloids were collected and divided into 3 groups each group included 10 patients. Group A: which is the main purpose of the study was treated by intralesional 5-Fluorouracil plus ablative fractional carbon dioxide Laser. Group B: treated by ablative fractional carbon dioxide Laser as a monotherapy. Group C: treated by intralesional 5-Fluorouracil as a monotherapy. Assessment of results was done using Vancouver scar scale (VSS), Observer Scar Assessment scale and Patient Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS).
Results: Comparison between VSS before and after treatment showed a significant improvement between study groups. After completion of treatment there was a statistically significant difference reported between the three groups with p value 0.0001. Improvement after completion of treatment was observed to favor group A followed by group B and group C.
Conclusion: 5FU injection plus Fractional CO2 laser showed the highest improvement percentage among all groups. Fractional CO2 laser showed acceptable results in management of hypertrophic scars. Intralesional 5FU injection as a monotherapy was accompanied with the highest incidence of complications and decline in the evaluating scores (VSS and POSAS).