Management of vascular lesions of the mouth and lips using a potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser: review of patient satisfaction

We reviewed patient satisfaction with the management of oral vascular lesions using a potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser. Questionnaires consisting of 10 questions were given to 95 patients who had had laser treatment for oral vascular lesions between September 2007 and July 2009. A five-point scale ranging from poor (1) to very good (5) was used for the responses. Seventy-one percent of patients responded. Overall, they were very satisfied with the process of laser treatment (mean score more than 4.5/5), but were less satisfied with the levels of comfort 24 h after the procedure (mean score 3.7/5), and after one week (mean score 4.2/5). As postoperative discomfort was highlighted as an area of dissatisfaction for some patients, modifications to aftercare instructions may improve this aspect of the service.