Focal cryoablation (CA) is an established minimally invasive technique for the treatment of small renal masses (SRMs). Because of the lack of robust evidence, it is indicated in selected patients who have relative contraindications to extirpative approaches.
With appropriate selection of patients CA is safe and effective. Main advantages are low risk for complication, minimal invasiveness and good functional outcomes; oncological outcomes require further studies. The role of the percutaneous approach has been expanding because of its ability to reduce pain and hospitalization, the possibility of performing the procedure under sedation, and the fact that it is potentially more cost-effective.
Urology. 2015 Dec 29 [Epub ahead of print]
O Rodriguez Faba, B Akdogan, M Marszalek, J F Langenhuijsen, S Brookman-May, G D Stewart, U Capitanio, F Sanguedolce, Renal Cancer Working Group of the Young Academic Urologists (YAU) Working Party of the European Association of Urology (EAU)
Department of Urology, Fundació Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain. Department of Urology, Hacettepe University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. , Department of Urology, Graz, Medical University, Graz, Austria. , Department of Urology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. , Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Germany. , Edinburgh Urological Cancer Group, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. , Department of Urology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan. , King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trus.