Cryosurgery is the controlled destruction of
unwanted tissue by the precise application of extreme cold.

A diseased cell will not survive
after being subjected to freezing of -4 degrees F to -20 degrees F.
Cryosurgery is a well proved method of treatment, highly effective for a broad
range of skin irregularities. The treatment is not time consuming and can
easily be carried out in a physician’s office.
Cryosurgical treatment is well tolerated by the patient as
there is little to no discomfort in most cases, negating the
requirement of anaesthesia.
For effective cryosurgery, the rate of removal of heat from the
tissue is more important than just the application of extremely low
temperatures. Slow heat reduction like treatments with cotton swaps
drenched in refrigerant solutions cause protective reactions to
osmotic fluids flowing out of the cell leading to cell preservation
instead of necrosis.
Effective treatment requires
rapid freeze as proven effective with the CryoPen.
During the immediate phase,
cells are destroyed by intracellular fluid ice crystals rupturing
the cell membrane. This includes protein destruction and direct
thermal shock. In a second phase the cell destruction is brought
about by vascular stasis causing thrombosis, ischemia and cell
death. In the late phase an immunologic response due to freezing is
possible.
Virtually all biological
tissues subjected to a temperature between -4 degrees F and -20
degrees F undergo cryonecrosis.
In more traditional
‘indirect’ cryosurgical treatments, such as the use of a cotton swab
drenched in a refrigerant solution, the energy delivered (freezing
power) is not sufficient to push the ice-ball to the caudal extent
of the lesion. Since tissue is a poor thermal conductor, the forming
layers of ice will hamper the ability of extreme temperatures to
penetrate to the distal end of the lesion unless there is enough
freezing power.
With the innovative ‘direct’
application of nitrous oxide thru disposable cartridges and
sophisticated micro-applicator technology of the CryoPen, control
over the energy delivered will assure the best possible results
together with pinpoint accuracy.
In all cases a second freeze
in the same treatment will improve results dramatically.