The Methodist Children's Hospital (San Antonio, TX) is the only hospital in the United States, and one of only a few in the world, that offers dual-wavelength laser treatment for glomuvenous malformation (GVM) plaque type, a rare vascular condition that causes blood vessels, skin, and muscles to harden.
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GVM is caused by a missing glomulin gene that results in improperly formed veins in the layers of skin and deeper tissues. As the skin hardens, it becomes extremely painful and debilitating. If left untreated, the condition can lead to heart failure.
Casen Buswell, 2 1/2, of Puyallup, WA, has GVM—one of only 14 known cases of the disease. Casen's GVM lesions are extensive, covering his chest, belly, arms, upper shoulders, and back. His parents faced many challenges—from misdiagnosis to unacceptable treatment options—in finding help for him. About nine weeks after he was born, the Buswells learned about the condition from a geneticist. A husband-and-wife doctor team in Belgium had identified the missing gene and were the only doctors in the world offering treatment. The couple was considering a move to Belgium when they learned that treatment was available in San Antonio.
John C. Browning, MD, dermatologist, treats Casen at Methodist Children's Hospital using the Cynosure Cynergy vascular workstation, which pairs a high-powered 585 nm pulsed-dye laser and a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser to shrink blood vessels using heat and light.
For more information on the laser, please visit http://www.cynosure.com/product/cynergy-mpx/.
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