Urolgy Treatments – Prostate Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy also called cryosurgery is an advanced medical procedure in uology that eliminates cancer cells in the prostate by freezing them and surrounding them with ice crystals. This topic is our fourth article in the Urology Treatment series since April 26 and today, we glance at the essentials of how it works. Cryotherapy is very popular procedure for medical tourism patients.

Here is what you will probably see in the room before surgery…

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Let’s not forget the male reproductive system. I will refresh your memory from high school…

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In short, here is how it works:

• Thin needles are inserted using transrectal ultrasound or TRUS technology
• Argon gas is passed through the needles
• Argon gets exchanged with helium gas
• This exchange allows warming and freezing simultaneously
• The urethra is protected from freezing via warm catheter fluid 
• Less invasive than radical prostatectomy and used subsequently
• Less blood loss
• Shorter hospital stay or hardly none
• Shorter recovery, less pain

 

 

Ideal Candidates for Cryotherapy:  

• Patients with low-risk tumor factors
• Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level less than 10 ng/mL
• Gleason score lower than 6
• Patients with disease that has spread beyond the prostate gland
• Patients with unsuccessful results with radiation therapy
• Not recommended for men with a very large prostate gland

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For more about Prostate Cryotherapy>  Click here

Further informative article on cryotherapy> Click here

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On Wednesday, we focus on another advanced procedure in urology called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). This procedure is widely performed in South East Asia and has been drawing a lot of international patients towards a variety of specialized medical centers overseas.

I will explain further on Wednesday, until then, thank you for reading and hope to have you visit PCO again shortly.

AE