Cryoablation: What It Is and What to Expect
Medically reviewed by Raghuveer Boddireddy, MD, Interventional Radiology. Last reviewed: October 23, 2026.
What kind of doctor provides Cryoablation?
An interventional radiologist, a doctor who uses imaging scans to guide small procedures through the skin, most often performs cryoablation. Cryoablation uses extreme cold to destroy tumor cells. A direct primary care or concierge doctor can be a first stop for an evaluation and can refer you to a specialist when needed.
What it is
Cryoablation is a treatment that uses extreme cold to destroy tumor cells. It is a local treatment, which means it targets one part of the body. It may also be called cryosurgery or cryotherapy.
Doctors use ultrasound, CT, or MRI pictures to guide a thin needle called a cryoprobe into the tumor. Argon or nitrogen gas flows into the probe and freezes the tumor. Cryoablation is used for cancerous tumors of the lung, liver, and kidney. Doctors sometimes use it for bone and breast tumors.
Why a doctor might recommend it
Doctors may suggest cryoablation if you cannot have surgery because of other health conditions. They may also use it for several tumors in the lungs, bones, or liver that spread from a cancer elsewhere, because more than one can be treated at the same time. It can relieve pain when a tumor presses on the chest wall or bone. It can also shrink a tumor so that chemotherapy or radiation therapy works better.
How to prepare
Your doctor will tell you how to prepare. Common steps include the following.
- Tell your doctor about all your medicines, including herbal supplements, and any allergies.
- Expect blood tests to check your kidneys and how well your blood clots.
- Ask about aspirin, ibuprofen-type pain relievers, and blood thinners. Your doctor decides if any change is needed.
- Fast for several hours beforehand, if told to, and tell your doctor if you might be pregnant.
- Wear loose clothing and plan for someone to drive you home.
What happens during it
You lie on a table while monitors track your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen level. You get a sedative, a medicine that makes you relaxed and sleepy, and the doctor numbs the skin. Some people have general anesthesia and sleep through it.
With imaging as a guide, the doctor passes the probe through the skin to the tumor and starts the freezing. A large tumor may need more than one probe. Each freeze takes about 10 to 30 minutes, and the whole procedure usually takes one to three hours. You may feel pressure, but not serious discomfort.
Recovery
Doctors can do this procedure on an outpatient basis, which means you go home the same day. You may stay overnight for watching. You should be able to return to usual activities within one to seven days. Avoid lifting heavy objects for at least 72 hours.
Medicine can control pain and nausea. About one in ten people still has pain a week later. About one in four gets flu-like symptoms three to five days afterward, which usually last about five days. You will likely have a follow-up visit with a physical check, imaging, and blood tests.
Risks and side effects
Any procedure that goes through the skin carries a risk of infection, and some bleeding may result. Freezing can also harm normal tissue nearby. Freezing a bone tumor can damage nearby bone and lead to broken bones. Freezing a liver tumor can damage bile ducts and major blood vessels, which can cause heavy bleeding or infection.
Cryoablation also has limits. It can only treat tumors that show up on imaging. For some uses, doctors do not yet know how well it controls cancer over the long term.
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have bleeding that will not stop, trouble breathing, chest pain or discomfort lasting two minutes or more, or fainting.
Who performs it
An interventional radiologist will most often perform it, in a procedure suite or sometimes in an operating room. The doctor sends a report to your referring doctor, who shares the results with you.
Common questions
Is cryoablation the same as cryosurgery?
Often, yes. The National Cancer Institute says cryosurgery may also be called cryotherapy or cryoablation.
Does cryoablation hurt?
No, you should not feel serious discomfort during the procedure. The skin is numbed, and you may feel pressure when the probe goes in. Afterward, medicine can control pain.
How does a direct primary care or concierge doctor fit in?
A direct primary care doctor charges a flat monthly fee instead of billing insurance, while a concierge doctor usually charges more and often works alongside insurance. Either one can be a first stop for an evaluation and can refer you to a specialist when needed.
Sources
- RadiologyInfo.org - Thermal Ablation for Tumor Treatment
- National Cancer Institute - Cryosurgery to Treat Cancer
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions about a medical condition, and never disregard or delay seeking professional advice because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately.
