Cryoablation for the management of Small Renal Masses

Abstract

Renal cell carcinoma is identified most often in the sixth or seventh decade of life, coinciding with the rise in incidental diagnosis of small renal masses as imaging technology has advanced. However, not all patients in this older age group are surgical candidates owing to their comorbidities. Cryoablation is a well-established minimally invasive technique for the treatment of small renal masses. The advent of less invasive ablative treatment has alleviated the surgical dilemma for certain patients who are contraindicated for extirpative procedures. With the appropriate patient selection, cryoablation is safe and effective, resulting in comparable local tumor control, fewer complications, better preservation of renal function, a faster recovery, and a shorter hospital stay. The percutaneous procedure has increased in popularity due to the advantages of reduced pain, shorter hospitalization, the ability to be performed without general anesthesia, and decreased cost relative to surgery.

Keywords

Cryoablation / cryosurgery / focal therapy / small renal tumors / renal cell carcinoma

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