Cryotherapy has been reported in an uncontrolled study1 to be effective in the treatment of patients with psoriasis. We evaluated the role of cryotherapy in the treatment of small psoriatic plaques.
Subjects and Methods.
Nine patients, aged 35 to 81 years, with clinically diagnosed small plaque psoriasis (plaque sizes 0-5 cm) consented to participate in this study. Two plaques of approximately the same size and severity, in symmetrical areas of the body, were randomly assigned as treatment (cryotherapy) and control sites. The entire cryotherapy site was frozen homogeneously with a liquid nitrogen cryostat (type B tip, Cryogun, Brymill Corporation, Vernon, Conn). No other treatments were applied. Two to 3 days following treatment, blister formation was assessed. The lesions were reevaluated at 2, 4, and 12 weeks after treatment. A lesion severity score was defined as the sum of 3 parameters: erythema, thickness, and scaliness, each rated from 0 (none)