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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03692273

Randomized Control Trial of CO2 Laser to Treat Hypertrophic Burn Scar

Laser treatment of hypertrophic burn scars has become increasingly popular for improving scarring in burn survivors. Despite its common use, there a gap in knowledge regrading randomized control trials that demonstrate whether the laser is beneficial. Such a trial is important because if it shows the laser does work, it would provide the evidence to make such treatments more accessible to all patients.

Furthermore, there is no knowledge whether the burn injury used to remove tissue is beneficial or not. This study aims to evaluate the laser treatment, removal of similar tissue amounts with 0.5mm punch biopsies, to controls to fill this knowledge gap.

The hypothesis is the laser is beneficial at improving patient's burn scars. Also the punch biopsies work better at improving scars by removing tissue without burning and injuring the surrounding tissue as the laser does.

To evaluate these treatments (laser, punch biopsies, and no treatment), 3 small areas will be chosen in a study scar area that meets specific criteria to receive . Patients will still be able to receive laser and burn reconstruction procedures in all other areas not involving the study scar area that are clinically indicated.

In the study, the scar will be evaluated with photographs, surveys, and tissue samples taken either while under anesthesia except for one set taken with numbing medicine. The tissue samples will be looked at under a microscope to see how the treatments change the scar tissue. The tissue will also have tests done to evaluate how the laser impacts genes from cells in the scar tissue.

Lastly, to understand how reconstructive procedures (laser and surgical treatments) change a patient's quality of life, patients will be asked a limited set of questions to learn more how these procedures improve their lives.

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Key information

Conditions

Burns Cicatrix Cicatrix, Hypertrophic Fibrosis Hypertrophic Scar Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Wounds and Injuries

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients must be 18 years of age or older
  • Must be medically fit to undergo laser/reconstructive procedure
  • Must have symptomatic HTBS for which they are already planning to undergo laser treatment. The symptomatic HTBSs may include the study scar area, but there must be other areas that the patient is getting treated with laser besides the study scar.
  • The HTBS must have occurred from a burn injured area either treated by skin grafts or allowed to heal secondarily.
  • Be willing and able to participate in the study with a year of follow-up
  • Must be able to answer surveys on their own, and not rely on surrogates
  • Not be pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the treatment phase of the study

Study Scar Inclusion Criteria:

  • The study scar must be at least 3mm thick
  • For Extremities, no surgical treatment can be performed on joint space above or below the target area
  • If the study scar is over a joint, then no surgical treatments can occur to the body part above or below it
  • When the study scar is on the trunk or neck, it must not be on continuity or adjacent to any area of planned surgical treatment.
  • Study Scar Size: The study scar can either be within an area of homogenous HTBS or be an area of HTBS surrounded by normal tissue if it meets the following size criteria:
  • Within HTBS For treatment areas within burn scars, it must be 65cm2 or larger to permit 3 treatment areas that are 3 x 3cm with a 1cm wide segment of untreated scar between it.
  • Surrounded by normal tissue For treatment areas surrounded by normal skin, the treatment area must be 33cm2 or greater, contain similar 3x3cm treatment areas, and have intervening segments of 1cm of scar between treatment areas. A border around the scar, is not required here because it is surrounded by normal skin.

Exclusion criteria

  • Previous laser or reconstructive procedures for the treatment of their HTBS in the study scar or adjacent tissue.
  • Steroids, immunosuppressive medications, chemotherapy or other medications that can delay their wound healing/immune function.
  • Medical Conditions that preclude laser treatment or general anesthesia if needed
  • Cognitively unable to complete PROMs on their own
  • The study area should not be part of a contracture or other hypertrophic scar that would be better treated with surgical procedures.
  • The study scar must not be adjacent to/in continuity with areas of HTBS that are planning to be treated with surgical interventions.

Treatment and study plan

Luminis ultrapulse fractional ablative carbon dioxide laser

Procedure

This laser will target water molecules and ablate columns of tissue that are approximately 3mm deep.

0.5mm punch biopsy

Procedure

punch biopsies will be performed to remove approximately equivalent volumes of tissue compared to the laser

Primary outcomes

  1. Vancouver Scar Scale

    Time frame: 14 months (from first treatment to follow-up)

    scar scale to evaluate severity of hypertrophic burn scars This is a 3 question scale, the first question graded from 0-3, the second and third questions graded from 0-5. The final score is the sum of the scores of the three questions, giving a possible total score range of 0-13. The higher the score, the worse the outcome.

Secondary outcomes

  1. photography of treatment areas in scar for evaluation

    Time frame: 14 months (from first treatment to follow-up)

    Evaluation of photographs of the treatment areas in the study scar

  2. elasticity of treatment areas of scar

    Time frame: 14 months (from first treatment to follow-up)

    Measure elasticity using a cutometer

  3. histology of treatment areas of scar

    Time frame: 14 months (from first treatment to follow-up)

    tissue samples will be evaluates for changes in cell architecture, collagen, and cells within the scar

  4. Gene expression

    Time frame: 14 months (from first treatment to follow-up)

    Inflammatory gene expression will be evaluated between laser treatment and control tissue

Other outcomes

  1. Patient Reported Outcome Measures Burn Specific

    Time frame: 14 months (from first treatment to follow-up)

    LIBRE (Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation)

  2. Patient Reported Outcome Measures Generic

    Time frame: 14 months (from first treatment to follow-up)

    PROMIS 28 (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Massachusetts General Hospital

Other

Collaborators

  • United States Department of Defense

Registry information

Official study title

A Within-Scar, Randomized Control Trial Comparing Fractional Ablative Carbon Dioxide Laser to Non-Energy-Based, Mechanical Tissue Extraction and No Treatment

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Oct 2, 2018
Registry last updated
Apr 13, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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