Cryotherapy

From Anvita Health Wiki

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Indications 3 Procedure 4 Complications 5 More General Terms 6 Additional Terms 7 References

Introduction

• The therapeutic use of cold to reduce discomfort, limit progression of tissue edema, or break a cycle of muscle spasm. Cryotherapy is a form of counterirritation.
  

• Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen:

Indications

• warts
• molluscum contagiosum
• actinic keratosis
• seborrheic keratosis
• skin tags
• lentigines

Procedure

• the entire lesion & a 1-3 mm rim around the lesion should be frozen
• cryogun vs cotton swab
• 90 degree angle to skin
• pulsatile use of cyrogun
• deeper freeze needed for

• deeper lesions
• malignancies

• control depth of freeze

• halo diameter
• freeze time
• thaw time

Complications

• hypopigmentation
• nerve damage (especially lateral aspect of digits)
• tendon rupture (rare)

More General Terms

• clinical procedure

Additional Terms

• cryosurgery (cryoablation)

References

1. Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999.
2. Usatine, RP, In: Intensive Course in Geriatric Medicine & Board Review, Marina Del Ray, CA, Sept 12-15, 2001

cryotherapy