Case Reports
Vol. 17 No. 2 (2025)
Fibrofolliculomas in Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome treated with a CO2 and dye laser combination: a case report and literature review
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Received: 14 June 2024
Accepted: 28 September 2024
Accepted: 28 September 2024
754
Views
339
Downloads
48
HTML
Authors
Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHD) can cause benign skin lesions such as fibrofolliculomas, as well as systemic manifestations including pulmonary cysts, kidney tumors, and recurrent pneumothoraces. We report the successful treatment of fibrofolliculomas in a patient with BHDs using a combination of fractionated ablative CO2 laser and a flash lamp pulsed dye laser (FPDL). This combined method improves the CO2 healing process’s functional and cosmetic results; the first wavelength (ablative) has a greater capacity for excision and tissue regeneration, while the second (non-ablative) provides more control over the tissue healing process. The lesions were ablated up to the papillary dermis without enhancing the overall textural appearance. Therefore, deeper laser ablations may be able to stop dermal residual lesion relapses. In conclusion, fractionated CO2 laser and FPDL can be used safely and effectively to reduce the appearance of facial hamartomas related to BHDs.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
Citations
Nickerson ML, Warren MB, Toro JR, et al. Mutations in a novel gene lead to kidney tumors, lung wall defects, and benign tumors of the hair follicle in patients with the Birt-Hogg- Dubè syndrome. Cancer Cell 2002;2:157-64.
Sattler EC, Steinlein OK. Delayed diagnosis of Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome due to marked intrafamilial clinical variability: a case report. BMC Med Genet 2018;19:45.
Menko FH, van Steensel MA, Giraud S, et al. European BHD Consortium. Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome: diagnosis and management. Lancet Oncol 2009;10:1199-206.
Reese E, Sluzevich J, Kluijt I, et al. 2009 Sep 1 [updated 2009 Oct 5]. In: Riegert-Johnson DL, Boardman LA, Hefferon T, Roberts M, editors. Cancer Syndromes [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Center for Biotechnology Information (US); 2009. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK45326/
Toro JR, Glenn G, Duray P, et al. Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome: a novel marker of kidney neoplasia. Arch Dermatol 1999;135:1195-202.
Daccord C, Good J-M, Morren M-A, et al. Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome. Eur Respir Rev 2020;29:200042.
Expert Consensus Group of the Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Management of Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome, China Alliance for the Rare Lung Disease; Chinese Thoracic Society, et al. Expert consensus on the diagnosis and management of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi 2023;46:897-908.
Gijezen LM, Vernooij M, Martens H, et al. Topical rapamycin as a treatment for fibrofolliculomas in Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized split-face trial. PLoS One 2014;9:e99071.
Vazirnia A, Schneider J, Ortiz A. Treatment of Benign Adnexal Tumors in Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome With Surgical Debulking in Combination With Fractional and Fully Ablative Carbon Dioxide Laser Resurfacing. Dermatol Surg 2020;46:1464-5.
Lodi G, Sannino M, Caterino P, et al. Fractional CO2 laser-assisted topical rifamycin drug delivery in the treatment of pediatric cutaneous leishmaniasis. Pediatr Dermatol 2021;38:717-20.
Gambichler T, Wolter M, Altmeyer P, Hoffman K. Treatment of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome with erbium:YAG laser. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:856-8.
Kim D, Wysong A, Teng JM, Rahman Z. Laser-Assisted Delivery of Topical Rapamycin: mTOR Inhibition for Birt-Hogg-Dube Syndrome. Dermatol Surg 2019;45:1713-5.
Patel R, Wesenberg J, Brammeier J. Fibrofolliculomas in Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome treated with nonfractionated ablative CO2 laser. JAAD Case Rep 2023;40:96-8.
Wu J, Del Duca E, Espino M, et al. RNA Sequencing Keloid Transcriptome Associates Keloids With Th2, Th1, Th17/Th22, and JAK3-Skewing. Front Immunol 2020;11:597741.
Seago M, Shumaker PR, Spring LK, et al. Laser Treatment of Traumatic Scars and Contractures: 2020 International Consensus Recommendations. Lasers Surg Med 2020;52:96-116.
Nisticò SP, Bennardo L, Sannino M, et al. Combined CO2 and dye laser technique in the treatment of outcomes due to flap necrosis after surgery for basal cell carcinoma on the nose. Lasers Surg Med 2022;54:523-9.
Lodi G, Sannino M, Cannarozzo G, et al. Pulsed dye laser prior to CO2 laser ablation to treat multiple cutaneous neurofibromas in von Recklinghausen's disease: a case report. Dermatol Ther 2022;35:e15355.
Domenico P, Giuliana C, Daniele B, et al. Ear keloids: An innovative 3-steps combined treatment. Skin Res Technol 2023;29:e13506.
Sannino M, Ambrosio AG, Lodi G, et al. A giant epidermal nevus of the face treated with a CO2 and dye laser combination: a case report and literature review. J Cosmet Laser Ther 2021;23:59-64.
Cortonesi G, Donelli C, Orsini C, et al. Combination of CO2 laser therapy and pulsed dye laser therapy for the treatment of actinic cheilitis. J Cosmet Dermatol 2023;22:715-6.
How to Cite
1.
Lodi G, Cannarozzo G, Sannino M, Pieri L, Fusco I, Negosanti F. Fibrofolliculomas in Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome treated with a CO2 and dye laser combination: a case report and literature review. Dermatol Reports [Internet]. 2024 Oct. 17 [cited 2026 Apr. 18];17(2). Available from: https://journals.pagepress.net/dr/article/view/10066
Copyright (c) 2024 the Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
