Demonstration of the therapeutic effect of photodynamic therapy for port-wine stains on the upper limbs

To evaluate the efficacy of PDT in treating PWS located on the upper limbs. Twenty patients with upper-limb PWS treated at our center over the past two years were enrolled. After confirming no contraindications, all patients underwent PDT and were followed up for more than 3 months. Therapeutic outcomes were assessed using the following criteria: No response (ineffective): Fading <30%; Moderate response (effective): Fading 31%–50%; Significant response (markedly effective): Fading 51%–80%; Complete response (cured): Fading >81%. Among the 20 cases, 1 showed no response, while 5 achieved complete remission, yielding a total effective rate of 95%. The non-responsive case received only a single PDT session. PDT demonstrates notable efficacy for upper-limb PWS, with therapeutic outcomes improving as the number of treatment sessions increases.