Cryoablation Therapy Procedure
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Treatment for:
Tumors in the lung, liver, kidney, bone, soft tissue, and other locations
Why it’s done:
Cryoablation allows minimally invasive destruction of tumors without the need for open surgery.
How it’s done:
An interventional radiologist uses CT to guide a thin needle (cryoprobe) into the cancerous tissue. The probes are hollow and allow for circulation of gas. Argon gas is then pumped into the cryoprobe in order to freeze and destroy the cancer tissue. Cancer cells die immediately with exposure to ice. Probes are removed at the end of the procedure.
Level of anesthesia:
Conscious sedation or general anesthesia
Risks:
Bleeding, infection, and rarely, damage to surrounding structures.
Post-procedure:
After cryoablation, patients proceed to the post-anesthesia care unit for recovery. A post-procedure imaging scan may be performed to determine the effect of the ablation. Most patients are discharged home the same day. Antibiotics and/or pain medications may be prescribed to prevent pain or infection after the procedure.
Follow-up:
A follow-up clinic visit and chest x-ray is performed in one week, followed by a clinic visit and CT scan in 1 month after treatment to monitor the ablation and address recovery. For a year following the procedure, patients are monitored every three months. After a year, patients are monitored every six months.
For More Information:
For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our IR physicians, please call 310-481-7545.