As the term implies, cryosurgery is a
form of surgical intervention whereby cold (through the use of various
possible gasses such as nitrous oxide) is administered to abnormal tissue to
resolve pain. Cryosurgey has been used in medicine for many years and it is
currently used for such diverse conditions as various skin abnormalities,
cancers (prostate, liver, lung etc), rigeminal neuralgia and cardiac
arrhythmias. It has been used by pain specialists for a number of years to
block the transmission of nerves so as to control pain.
Whilst cryosurgery
had been used for the management of Morton's neuroma for about 20 years it
is high resolution ultrasound that has allowed the treatment to become more
effective. To help locate that area of treatment, a function on the
ultrasound scan called 'Doppler' is used which allows for the visualisation of
blood vessels than run next to the nerves. Cryosurgery is
highly reliant on the skill of the operator and requires expert control of
both the ultrasound machine and cryoprobe. Cryosurgery without ultrasound
(blind surgery) is not advocated as results are less predictable.
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