Pain, pain relief and other practical issues in photodynamic therapy

Abstract

In our study of ALA PDT with EMLA, we noted considerable interpatient variation in the pain experience, with 5‐10% of patients experiencing quite severe pain, mainly with extensive actinic keratoses, and about the same percentage experiencing no pain at all. The remainder had an intermediate level of pain that could be managed with cool fans and cool water. 2 Assessment of the pain levels associated with treatment of different lesions types found that solar keratoses (S K) resulted in most pain, and BCC the least. Lesions on the head caused more pain than those on the trunk and extremities. On the head itself, more pain occurred on the scalp and forehead, and larger areas caused more pain than smaller areas. No differences in pain were observed for different skin types. 2