What is cryoablation?
Cryoablation is an image-guided procedure that uses extreme cold to destroy or damage cancerous tissue. It is performed when surgery to remove a tumor may be difficult or impossible. An interventional radiologist performs cryoablation using a “cryoprobe.” This is a thin probe that delivers extreme cold that forms an ice ball at its tip, freezing nearby cancer cells. Sometimes more than one probe is used.
If you have bone and/or soft tissue cancer
Advantages of cryoablation
- Decreases pain and pain medication use
- Increases mobility
- Treatment may be repeated
If you have kidney cancer
Advantages of cryoablation
- Most patients resume normal activities within 24 hours
- Less painful with fewer side effect than other treatments
- Preserves more kidney tissue than surgery
- Does not impact blood pressure
- May be repeated if necessary
- Is considered curative
If you have liver cancer
Advantages of cryoablation
- Less painful than open surgery
- Saves more healthy tissue than surgery
- Can be repeated as often as necessary
- Typically requires an overnight hospital stay and no recovery period after discharge