Laboratory investigation of the cryosurgical lesion

Cryosurgery denotes the therapeutic ablation of tissues by cold. Its use was first described by Arnott in 1851 for the treatment of carcinoma of the cervix, but never attained clinical prominence due to lack of a simple controlled means of applying cold to tissues. The introduction, 100 years after Arnott's original treatise of cryogenic apparatus based on the circulation of liquid nitrogen³⁰ reawakened interest in this form of treatment. Despite its widespread application in many of the surgical specialities over the last eight years, little experimental effort has been made to quantitate the destructive effect of low temperatures used in this way. From the surgeon's point of view it is essential to know what factors determine the quantity of tissue water frozen under any given conditions, to what extent this phase change of water produces cellular death and how he can best control his freezing to produce optimal destruction.

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Edinburgh

Year dc:date.issued

1969

Author dc:creator

• Da Costa, John A. G.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1842/30150

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:era.ed.ac.uk:1842/30150