Abstract
Osler's disease (=hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia) is an autosomal dominant genetically transmitted disease characterized by abnormal peripheral blood vessels. Intranasal dermoplasty and estrogen therapy have proved to be successful for nasal bleeding. However, these therapies have several complications and sometimes fail to control bleeding. Recently, Nd-YAG laser therapy has been reported to be effective in Osler's disease. We describe here a patient with Osler's disease who has had repeated nasal bleeding for about 10 years. We treated him with laser photocoagulation using a contact Nd-YAG laser at low power settings (30-35W, 0.5 sec). Laser therapy diminished the frequency and severity of hemorrhage without complications. Nasal mucosal tissue of the inferior turbinate showed massive fibroblastic infiltrations and capillary vessel clots with fibrin after laser operation. The Nd-YAG laser appears to be a useful therapeutic procedure for this disease.
