Biomaterial Database

Tattoo formation from absorbable synthetic suture and successful removal with Q-switched ruby laser. 1996

L J Bernstein, and D A Palaia, and D Bank, and R G Geronemus

Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York, NY 10016, USA.

BACKGROUND Traumatic tattoos result from accidental or unintentional deposition of exogenous pigment within injured skin. Pigments may consist of heavy metals, vegetable matter, or commercial dyes. OBJECTIVE The clinical and histologic description of a traumatic tattoo resulting from a surgical procedure using undyed, braided, synthetic, absorbable suture material and its removal with the Q-switched ruby laser (694 nm, 28 nsec). METHODS The pigmented linear lesion was biopsied and processed using standard histological methods. Subsequently, the area was treated on two occasions with the Q-switched ruby laser. RESULTS The pigmented lesion was completely removed with the Q-switched laser treatments. CONCLUSIONS We report on the occurrence of a traumatic tattoo resulting from synthetic suture material and complete removal with the Q-switched ruby laser.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010859	Pigmentation Disorders	Diseases affecting PIGMENTATION, including SKIN PIGMENTATION.	Incontinentia Pigmenti Achromians,Ito Syndrome,Schamberg's Disease,Schamberg Disease,Disease, Schamberg,Disease, Schamberg's,Disorder, Pigmentation,Disorders, Pigmentation,Pigmentation Disorder,Schambergs Disease,Syndrome, Ito
D002280	Carcinoma, Basal Cell	A malignant skin neoplasm that seldom metastasizes but has potentialities for local invasion and destruction. Clinically it is divided into types: nodular, cicatricial, morphaic, and erythematoid (pagetoid). They develop on hair-bearing skin, most commonly on sun-exposed areas. Approximately 85% are found on the head and neck area and the remaining 15% on the trunk and limbs. (From DeVita Jr et al., Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology, 3d ed, p1471)	Carcinoma, Basal Cell, Pigmented,Epithelioma, Basal Cell,Rodent Ulcer,Ulcer, Rodent,Basal Cell Carcinoma,Basal Cell Carcinomas,Basal Cell Epithelioma,Basal Cell Epitheliomas,Carcinomas, Basal Cell,Epitheliomas, Basal Cell,Rodent Ulcers,Ulcers, Rodent
D005145	Face	The anterior portion of the head that includes the skin, muscles, and structures of the forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, and jaw.	Faces
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012878	Skin Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the SKIN.	Cancer of Skin,Skin Cancer,Cancer of the Skin,Neoplasms, Skin,Cancer, Skin,Cancers, Skin,Neoplasm, Skin,Skin Cancers,Skin Neoplasm
D013537	Sutures	Materials used in closing a surgical or traumatic wound. (From Dorland, 28th ed)	Staples, Surgical,Surgical Staples,Staple, Surgical,Surgical Staple,Suture
D013653	Tattooing	The indelible marking of TISSUES, primarily SKIN, by pricking it with NEEDLES to imbed various COLORING AGENTS. Tattooing of the CORNEA is done to colorize LEUKOMA spots.	Tattoo,Tattoos
D053685	Laser Therapy	The use of photothermal effects of LASERS to coagulate, incise, vaporize, resect, dissect, or resurface tissue.	Laser Knife,Laser Scalpel,Surgery, Laser,Vaporization, Laser,Laser Ablation,Laser Knives,Laser Photoablation of Tissue,Laser Surgery,Laser Tissue Ablation,Nonablative Laser Treatment,Pulsed Laser Tissue Ablation,Ablation, Laser,Ablation, Laser Tissue,Knife, Laser,Knifes, Laser,Knive, Laser,Knives, Laser,Laser Knifes,Laser Knive,Laser Scalpels,Laser Surgeries,Laser Therapies,Laser Treatment, Nonablative,Laser Treatments, Nonablative,Laser Vaporization,Nonablative Laser Treatments,Scalpel, Laser,Scalpels, Laser,Surgeries, Laser,Therapies, Laser,Therapy, Laser,Tissue Ablation, Laser