Cryotherapy: treatment spectrum and setting up the service

Before treating any lesion with cryotherapy, a diagnosis needs to be obtained by a qualified clinician

Cryotherapy is the use of cold in a medical setting to treat a variety of tissue lesions. It is usually delivered by a cryoprobe or spray connected to a reservoir of liquid nitrogen. This is at a temperature of −196°C. Using an open spray of liquid nitrogen creates an ice ball, the depth of which is roughly equal to the lateral spread. Some cells, such as melanocytes, are easily damaged by cold, whereas others, such as fibroblasts, are very resistant to cold (Yiu et al, 2007). The efficacy of liquid nitrogen and guidelines for treatment are well established (Cooper and Dawber, 2001). Other methods of delivering cryotherapy are Histofreeze and Dermafreeze, which employ vaporisation of a volatile liquid to create cooling and nitrous oxide as a CryoPen (HO Equipment).