Cryosurgery
Extreme cold to destroy abnormal or diseased tissue.
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Cryosurgery is the surgical application of cryoablation, using extreme cold to destroy abnormal or diseased tissue. The term derives from the Ancient Greek κρύο. It has historically been used to treat a variety of benign and malignant skin conditions.
Quick Facts
- Synonym
- cryotherapy
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- In 1841, English physician James Arnott described therapeutic applications of a mixture of crushed ice and salt applied locally, theorizing it could arrest inflammation and destroy cancer cell vitality.
- His works were the first to hypothesize that extreme cold could selectively damage or destroy harmful tissue.
- Medical supply companies have developed cryogen delivery systems for cryosurgery, mostly based on liquid nitrogen, though some use proprietary gas mixtures.
More in Surgical Procedures and Techniques
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Cryosurgery (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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