Acquired port wine stains:clinical and psychological assessment and response to pulsed dye laser therapy

Nineteen patients are presented with acquired port wine stains. Acquired port wine stains are uncommon vascular lesions with the appearance of a congenital port wine stain but onset after birth. This is the largest group of patients reported to date. The acquired port wine stain was on the head and neck in 17 patients and in six this was associated with preceding trauma. Psychological assessments in adult patients showed similar morbidity to that seen in patients with congenital port wine stains. This morbidity was improved with successful laser treatment. Pulsed dye laser therapy resulted in complete clearance of the lesion in six (46%) of 13 patients treated. Two further patients had an excellent response.