title: Conscious sedation with inhaled 50% nitrous oxide/oxygen premix in photodynamic therapy sessions for vulvar lichen sclerosus treatment.
abstract: Photodynamic therapy has been described as an effective therapeutic option in selected cases of anogenital lichen sclerosus that are refractory to first-line treatments. However, procedure-related pain is a limiting factor in patient adherence to treatment. The authors report the case of a 75-year-old woman with highly symptomatic vulvar lichen sclerosus, successfully treated with photodynamic therapy. An inhaled 50% nitrous oxide/oxygen premix was administered during sessions, producing a pain-relieving, anxiolytic, and sedative effect without loss of consciousness. This ready-to-use gas mixture may be a well-tolerated and accepted alternative to classical anesthetics in Photodynamic therapy, facilitating patients' adherence to illumination of pain-prone areas.
authors: Hospital de Santo António dos Capuchos, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Joana
authors: J
authors: Cabete
authors: Hospital de Santo António dos Capuchos, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Campos
authors: Hospital de Santo António dos Capuchos, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Lestre
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D007724:Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D010100:Oxygen