The application of a carbon dioxide laser in the treatment of superficial oral mucosal lesions.

To evaluate the safety and advantages of using carbon dioxide (CO2) laser in the treatment of oral mucosal lesion, including vascular malformations, precancerous lesions, and verrucous nevus, a retrospective analysis was conducted for 73 patients with oral mucosal lesions who received CO2 laser treatment during June 2012 to December 2013, including 25 patients with vascular malformations, 22 patients with oral leukoplakia, 18 patients with oral mucosal lichen planus, and 8 patients with oral mucosal and labial mucosal verrucous nevus. The lesions ranged from 0.8 × 0.8  cm to 4 × 3  cm. Twenty patients with lesions removed using the traditional scalpel, assisted with an electric knife, were the control group. The operative time was from 3 to 10 minutes, with an average of 5.5 minutes; the average amount of intraoperative bleeding was 5  mL. None of the 73 patients had postoperative infections, and all wounds healed well after the surgery. The patients were followed up for 1 year. Two patients with oral leukoplakia showed recurrence after the surgery, and a reoperation achieved satisfactory treatment effects. The operative time of the control group was in the range of 4 to 15 minutes, with an average of 9.5 minutes, and the average amount of intraoperative bleeding was 10  mL. None of the 20 patients had postoperative infections, and the wounds also showed healing well after the surgery. The application of CO2 laser in the treatment of oral mucosal lesions has the advantages of reduced bleeding, a clear view during surgery, and a shorter operative time.