Cryotherapy is a treatment option for prostate cancer that freezes and kills the cancerous cells in the prostate. The procedure is performed through the perineum, the area between the anus and scrotum.
With the patient under regional or general anesthesia, very thin needles are inserted in the perineum and into the prostate gland. The needles deliver the cold temperatures necessary to destroy the prostate tissue by forming ice balls. A rectal ultrasound probe is used to guide the insertion and placement of the needles. Because of the risk of impotence, Cryotherapy as a treatment for prostate cancer is usually recommended to men who already experience impotence.