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