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The thermal effect of urethral warming during cryosurgery.

Author(s) : RABIN Y., STAHOVICH T. F.

Type of article: Article

Summary

The heating effect of urethral warming during cryosurgery has been investigated theoretically. Two warmer configurations have been considered: 1) the clinically available urethral warmer, which has a configuration of a counterflow fluid heat exchanger; 2) a newly designed urethral warmer, based on a temperature controlled electrical heater, termed a "cryoheater". A dramatic effect of thermal resistance to heat transfer through the heat exchanger wall has been identified; it is absent in the cryoheater. The cryoheater is thus expected to be more efficient in generating an unfrozen region around the urethra. It is shown that the conventional heat exchanger may fail to prevent freezing around the urethra in a significant number of prostate cases. Several clinical reports suggest that the heat exchanger improves in many cases the outcome of cryosurgery, in terms of long-term complications. The authors speculate that the cryoheater can further improve the outcome of cryosurgery, by providing protection from freezing in a wider range of cases, and suggest that a future study be conducted to examine the correlation between the layout of cryoprobes and surgical outcome.

Details

  • Original title: The thermal effect of urethral warming during cryosurgery.
  • Record ID : 2003-3044
  • Languages: English
  • Source: CryoLetters - vol. 23 - n. 6
  • Publication date: 2002/11
  • Document available for consultation in the library of the IIR headquarters only.

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