DEFINITION

Cryosurgery is a type of surgery that involves the use of extreme cold to destroy abnormal tissue such as tumors.The surgery most often involves the use of liquid nitrogen ,although carbon dioxide and argon may also be used

WHAT TYPES OF CANCER CAN BE TREATED WITH CRYOSURGERY

It is used to treat several types of cancer and some precancerous or noncancerous conditions.In addition to prostate and liver tumors cryosurgery can be an effective treatment for

• Retinoblastoma- childhood cancer that affect retina of eye
• Early stage skin cancers
• Precancerous skin growths known as actinic keratosis
• Precancerous conditions of the cervix known as cervical intra epithelial neoplasia
• Low grade cancerous and non cancerous tumors of the bone

ADVANTAGES

• It is less invasive than surgery  involving only a small incision or insertion of the cryoprobe through the skin
• Consequently pain,bleeding and other complications of surgery are minimized
• Cryosurgery is less expensive than other treatments and requires shorter recovery time and a shorter hospital stay
•  Some times it can be done using  only local anesthesia
• Because physicians can focus cryosurgical treatment on a limited area,they can avoid the destruction of nearby areas
• Treatment can be safely repeated and may be used along with standard treatments such as surgery,chemotherapy,hormone therapy and radiation
• It can be used for patients who are not good candidates for conventional surgery because of their age or other medical conditions

DISADVANTAGES

The major disadvantage of cryosurgery is the uncertainty surrounding its long term effectiveness.While cryosurgery may be effective in treating tumors the physician can see by using imaging tests,it can miss microscopic cancer spread

HOW A CRYOSURGERY IS PERFORMED

Your doctor will place liquid nitrogen on your skin using a cotton swab or spray.A numbing medicine may be used to prevent any pain or discomfort.

If an internal area is being treated your surgeon will use a scope which is a flexible tube that can fit into various openings in your body such as urethra,rectum or a surgical incision.The liquid nitrogen is fed to the area under treatment and applied to the targeted cells.The cells freeze ,die and then will be slowly absorbed in your body.Your doctor will use imaging equipment such as ultrasound as a guide for carrying out the procedure

RISKS ASSOCIATED

Risk include

• blisters
• damage of nearby healthy tissue
• Pain
• Scarring
• Sexual dysfunction
• Ulcers
• White skin at the site of surgery

For getting opinion from our network of hospitals visit www.mvtbooking.com or send email to query@gtsmeditour.com

Prepared by : Dr Sajna Hamza