3 types of prostate cryosurgery to treat prostate cancer

Most prostate cancers are hormone-dependent, and their occurrence and development are closely related to androgens. Therefore, an important part of the treatment of prostate cancer is orchiectomy or drug-assisted orchiectomy, which removes the sex organs that mainly produce androgens to reduce androgen levels in the patient's body. For non-hormone-dependent prostate cancer, the best treatment is prostatectomy, which can be divided into surgical resection and prostate cryosurgery.

There are three types of prostate cryosurgery:

① Transurethral cryosurgery: This procedure involves inserting a probe into the prostate through the urethra and then freezing the prostate. This procedure has the disadvantages of inaccurate positioning, uncertainty about the range and depth of freezing, and easy damage to the ureteral orifice, bladder wall or external sphincter, etc., and is now rarely used.

② Cryosurgery under direct endoscopic vision: This procedure has a wide range of indications and accurate freezing positioning. The entire freezing process can be monitored without damaging the bladder and ureteral orifice. The freezing site can be adjusted under direct vision and multiple freeze-thaw cycles can be implemented to improve the treatment effect. There is no need to place a urinary catheter, which reduces the incidence of urinary tract infection.

③ Transperineal puncture cryosurgery: This procedure is mostly used to treat advanced prostate cancer. It is a palliative therapy to improve obstructive symptoms. It has the advantages of being able to be performed under local anesthesia, no need for open surgery, directly acting on prostate cancer tissue, and having little side effects.