Radiofrequency ablation: a safe and economical modality in treatment of Brooke-Spiegler syndrome.

Brooke-Spiegler syndrome is an uncommon disease. Patients have a predisposition to develop cutaneous adnexal neoplasms such as cylindromas, trichoepitheliomas, spiradenomas, trichoblastomas, basal cell carcinomas, follicular cysts, and organoid nevi. Malignant transformation of preexisting tumors also occurs in these individuals. Various techniques have been used for the treatment of trichoepitheliomas and cylindromas including excision, electrocautery, carbon dioxide laser ablation, cryosurgery, and radiotherapy. In our case, cylindromas were ablated by radiofrequency in multiple sittings. Trichoepitheliomas were ablated using coagulation mode with power # 3 to 3.5. Cosmetically acceptable results were obtained in 100 percent of the cylindromas and 70 percent of the trichoepitheliomas (Visual Analog Scale). The radiofrequency ablation technique under different modes can be used in both large tumors as well as smaller ones, especially in developing countries because it is very cost effective and easily accessible.