Cryosurgery -- or cryotherapy -- is a technique in which fine needles are inserted into the prostate and frozen with a mixture of cooled helium and argon. The cooling creates an ice bulb around the needle that kills prostate tissue.

Guided by ultrasound imaging, Duke surgeons can manipulate the tiny needles (the same size as those used to draw blood) to ablate the entire prostate without need for surgery.

At the Duke Cancer Institute, cryosurgery is performed as an outpatient procedure and patients can go home the same day.

Cryosurgery is also used for localized cancers that recur after prior radiation treatments. Learn more about cryosurgery.

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