Skin Burn Associated with Pulse Oximetry during Perioperative Photodynamic Therapy

Abstract

IT was reported in 1967 that tumor destruction could be accomplished with the use of a porphyrin substance when exposed to light 1 . Individually, the light and the chemical may be relatively innocuous, whereas the combination can have significant effects. This principle has been applied to cancer treatment with a technique called photodynamic therapy (PDT). 2,3 PDT is a relatively new cancer treatment modality undergoing clinical trials in the United States. The treatment involves a drug (photosensitizer) that accumulates preferentially in tumor cells and subsequently kills cells on activation by light. We present a case in which the use of conventional perioperative monitoring with a pulse oximeter during PDT resulted in the loss of skin integrity at the site of the pulse oximeter probe.