Cryosurgery

Is prostate cryosurgery still considered experimental?

Prostate cryosurgery is no longer considered experimental. Long term data is now available showing cryosurgery to be an excellent treatment for primary prostate cancer and was approved by Medicare more than 8 years ago.

If I elect to have cryosurgery either for my whole gland or as a "lumpectomy" can cryosurgery be repeated?

Cryosurgery is the only prostate cancer treatment that can be repeated without risk of additional complications.

Has the safety of cryosurgery improved since it was first carried out in the early 1990's?

The most feared complication of cryosurgery is urethra-rectal fistula which occurs when the rectum is frozen during the procedure. If you have never had radiation, this complication has been virtually eliminated by our technique of injecting saline between the rectum and the prostate separating the two structures. This technique has helped patients who have previously had radiation as well but because of the fragility of the rectum in these patients this complication although rare can still occur.

What are the success rates for cryosurgery?

The remarkable aspect of cryoablation is that whether you are low or high risk for recurrence the10 yr data shows that you have the same success rate, approximately 88% for biochemical disease free survival at 7 years. The success rate for focal cryosurgery is actually higher with 95% of patients being biochemically disease free.

How long has Dr. Onik been doing cryosurgery?

Dr. Onik is the original developer of both liver and prostate cryosurgery. He treated the first liver patients with cryosurgery in 1986 and the first patient with prostate cryosurgery in 1990. He has performed over 1000 prostate cryosurgery procedures.