Cryotherapy

What Is Cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy is also called cryosurgery or cryoablation. It’s when doctors use freezing cold temperatures to kill abnormal cells or small tumors. The cold comes from liquid nitrogen or argon gas.

This treatment only damages the cells exposed to the cold. Doctors can do it as many times as needed to get rid of a problem area.

What Does It Treat?

Cryotherapy destroys precancerous cells. These are cells that aren’t normal, but they haven’t turned into cancer yet. If you kill them early, you may keep them from turning into cancer later on.

Doctors can also use it to treat certain kinds of cancer, including in the prostate, liver, and bones.

Sometimes doctors use cryotherapy to remove skin growths that aren’t harmful, such as skin tags, warts, and angiomas. It can remove freckles and tattoos, too.

During Cryotherapy

The type of cryotherapy you get depends on whether the cells it’s targeting are inside or outside your body.

For those on the outside, your doctor may spray the cold gas right on the area. Or they may wipe it with the cold liquid to destroy the cells. This method can treat precancers on your skin.

Cryotherapy can also treat changes in cells in a woman’s cervix that might become cancer, often caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Doctors can find these changes during routine Pap smears or pelvic exams. Your doctor will use a hollow tube called a cryoprobe to send cold gas to the cells. Small tumors in the body can also be treated this way.

Your doctor might use a cryoprobe during an endoscopy. This is when they put a long, thin tube with a light and camera on the end into your body to look for problems. The tube can go in through a natural opening, like your mouth or bottom. Or your doctor may make a small cut in your skin to put it in. Either way, the endoscope lets your doctor see the problem area or tumor on a screen so they can touch it with the cryoprobe.

When the cryoprobe delivers the cold, an ice ball forms and freezes the nearby cells. Your doctor may thaw and freeze the area more than once during the procedure. Because of this, and depending on the size and location of the area, it can take a few minutes or up to a few hours to get cryotherapy.

Your doctor will remove the probes when treatment is done.

After Cryotherapy

After the procedure, the frozen tissue thaws and your body’s immune system cleans up the dead cells on its own.

If you get the cold on an outside surface of your body, a scab forms. You can cover a treated area on your skin with a bandage.

Side Effects

Side effects depend on the part of your body that was treated. They may be less severe than those you might have after other treatments, like surgery or radiation.

For instance, cryotherapy to treat cervix cell changes can cause bleeding, cramps, and pain.

On your skin, there may be swelling and redness. The area may blister and hurt while it heals. Rarely, it may cause scarring, hair loss, or white skin in that area.

Cryotherapy that treats tumors inside the body may damage or scar nearby healthy tissue. Your doctor will try to avoid that as much as possible.

In Office Proceedures

Find out more about how we can help you by visiting our services page.

Patient resources

Doctor
Angela Intili M.D.

Dr. Intili delivered both of my children and hopefully will deliver any future children! We have always felt heard, cared for and important in Dr. Intili’s care. She is thorough and personal in her care, remembering our concerns and needs whether in the office or on the labor & delivery floor at the hospital! She goes above & beyond for her patients and I am always happy to be in her care!

Elizabeth

Frequently asked
questions

What Insurance does your practice take?
Some insurance companies we accept: BlueCross Blue Shield PPO, BlueCross Blue Shield Presence EPO, BlueCross Blue Shield Presence St. Joe’s HMO, BlueCross Blue Shield Silver Cross HMO, Aetna PPO (Choice POS), Cigna PPO (Open Access), United Health Care PPO (Choice Plus) and Humana PPO (Open Access)
What office procedures do you perform in the office?
The following are performed at our office: Leep Procedure, Colposcopy Procedure, Cryosurgery  and  Endometrial  ablation  via  novasure ,  and  hysteroscopy
Is your practice able to do OB Ultrasound at the office?
We  perform  obstetrical  ultrasounds  and  gynecological
Which hospital(s) are you affiliated with?
Silver  Cross  Hospital  and  Adventist  St  Joseph  Hospital
Which hospitals do Dr Angela Intili deliver at?

Silver  Cross  Hospital  and  Adventist  St  Joseph  Hospital

Is Dr Angela Intil a Sole Practitioner?

Yes  ,  I have  been  solo practitioner  since  1994

Do you perform Gynecological Ultrasounds?

Yes

How often do I need a pap smear?
New guidelines  are 3-5  years,  however  a  pelvic  exam  may  be  needed  every year
At what age do I need a pap smear?
21  years  old
What age is menopause?
A median  age  of  menopause  is  54 years  old.  Perimenopause  may  begin 5-7 years earlier  ,  presents  with  irregular menses,  hot  flashes,  irritability    due  to  the  lack  of  progesterone ,  at  times  progesterone  supplement  may  improve  some of  these  symptoms
Are there conservative measures for hot flashes?

At  times  over  the  counter  supplement  may help,  however  some  contains  soy  which  should  be  avoided  in  women with  hormonal  related  cancers

How safe is hormonal replacement therapy?
There are  clear  benefits  to  hormonal  replacement  therapy ,  decreasing  the  risk of  cardiac  heart  disease,  osteoporosis,  and cognition. These  benefits are  present  within  the first  5  years of menopause.