In the Israeli Ichilov Clinic, Breast Tumours are Removed Without Scars

At the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv, a new technology has been implemented for the surgical removal of breast tumours, effectively addressing the issue of painful and unsightly scars. This innovative approach, which involves the use of two types of laser devices, has proven its effectiveness during a three-year study conducted by the clinic's specialists. The results were published in the scientific journal Lasers in Medical Science.

Surgical resection remains the primary method for treating breast cancer, especially in cases where the disease is in its early stages and the tumour has not yet spread beyond its original location. However, after such an operation, no matter how professionally it is performed, scars inevitably remain. They not only create a cosmetic defect, serving as a constant reminder of the illness for the woman, but also cause significant discomfort – pain, itching, and a feeling of tight skin, deforming adjacent tissues.

Until recently, doctors used special silicone bandages and pressure dressings to combat scar tissue. Additionally, patients were advised to reduce sun exposure, which is problematic in Israel, a country with one of the highest numbers of sunny days per year.

With the advent of medical lasers, the capabilities of plastic surgeons and dermatologists have significantly expanded. The fact that skin is composed of 70% water allows for the successful use of laser devices to correct scars and blemishes. In the treated area, the temperature rises to several hundred degrees, and the heated layer of skin is instantly destroyed, turning into vapor. The destroyed pathological cells are exfoliated within a week, and soon new, healthy tissue forms in their place. This is particularly aided by the active synthesis of collagen that occurs under laser exposure – it is collagen that provides skin elasticity.

Promising Technique

In an experiment conducted at the Ichilov Medical Center over three years – from 2015 to 2018 – about twenty female patients aged 35 to 68 who had undergone breast tumour removal participated. All of them received treatment for the resulting scars using the new technique within the first two to four weeks after surgery.

This technique involves the simultaneous use of two types of laser devices – a pulsed dye laser and an ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser. The first generates a wave length of 585–595 nm, with the pulse duration adjustable by the physician depending on the tasks at hand. The carbon dioxide laser operates through the vibration of carbon dioxide molecules and primarily affects the surface layer of the skin.

During the study, specialists at Ichilov Hospital treated only half of each patient's scar, leaving the other half untreated for comparison and to observe the results. Each participant underwent three procedures lasting ten minutes with a four-week interval.

After six months, an independent assessment of the results was conducted. Doctors compared both halves of the scar – the treated one and the untreated one. They focused on the scar's color, thickness, and firmness. Additionally, women were surveyed regarding the intensity of pain and itching. The data obtained demonstrated that the condition of the treated part of the scar was significantly better compared to the untreated part.

The study was conducted by Professor Tamar Safra, head of the Department of Gynecological Oncology, Professor Eli Shprecher, head of the Dermatology Department, as well as several leading plastic surgeons and dermatologists at Ichilov Hospital.

“Currently, when modern methods allow for high survival rates in breast cancer, and most women who have overcome the disease live for many more years after the removal of malignant tumours, the emergence of new ways to correct postoperative scars is of immense importance,” comments Professor Safra on her team's results.

According to her colleague, Professor Shprecher, thanks to scientific and technological progress, dermatologists around the world have added new therapeutic technologies to their arsenal, which they actively use for the benefit of their patients. He is confident that the quantity and quality of these technologies will only continue to grow.