20% ALA-PDT pretreated by fire needle in patients with dissecting cellulitis of the scalp: An interim analysis.

BACKGROUND:Dissecting cellulitis of the scalp (DCS) is a rare but distinctive, chronic suppurative condition, and the treatment is a therapeutic challenge. Recently, treatment of DCS with 5-aminolaevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) has been considered as a potential option. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 20% ALA-PDT pretreated by fire needle in the treatment of DCS. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Topical 20% ALA-PDT with fire needle intervention as a pretreatment, was applied to six patients with DCS. All patients completed three sessions treatment at an interval of ten days. They were assessed for the efficacy at the baseline and on ten days after each treatment. According to the reduction of lesions and the improvements of patients' symptoms after each session, the objective assessment of therapeutic effect was divided into four grades. The adverse effects were recorded. RESULTS:A total of six male patients were enrolled in our study. After three sessions of ALA-PDT, among them, three patients recovered, two patients achieved significant improvement and one patient achieved partial response.Patient 4 (Pt.4) relapsed at 6-month follow-up. Pt.1 and Pt.6. maintained complete response after one year follow-up. We also found that the clearance rate of the popular/nodular and cyst/abscess was much higher than sinus. CONCLUSION:20% ALA-PDT pretreated by fire needle could be an effective, minimally-invasive, safe method for DCS patients. Lesion in the early stages have a better response than sinus.