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Editorial: cryosurgery: an emerging application for low-temperature refrigeration.

Article Excerpt
Cryosurgery refers to the application of very low temperatures to undesirable tissue, typically cancerous tumors, in order to destroy it. Cryosurgery is a medical technique that has existed for more than a century. However, recent advances in cryosurgical devices, medical imaging, and understanding of the physical mechanisms that lead to tissue destruction have expanded the number of conditions that can be treated using some form of cryosurgery. The challenges faced by those working on cryosurgical systems are largely engineering challenges that are familiar to the refrigeration engineer, and therefore this is an exciting technology area where the HVAC&R and medical device development industries overlap.

CRYOSURGERY

Cryosurgery has been used since the mid-nineteenth century to treat cancer tumors located near the surface of the skin. As cryosurgical device technology has improved, the use of cryosurgery has been extended to treat tumors that are located in more proximal locations. Cryosurgery offers several benefits over other forms of treatment. The use of relatively small cryosurgical devices localizes the tissue damage and makes the process less invasive than excision. The very low temperatures that are involved reduce blood loss and post-surgery discomfort....

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