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What
is cryosurgery?
Cryos
(Greek means cold). Cryosurgery has now become the standard
method of preventing the occurrence of retinal detachment.
As you have been advised the prophylactic procedure, we would
like to share the following information with you.
Holes
or breaks in the retina can cause retinal detachment. These
holes can be closed by producing minute scars in carefully
selected areas of the retina. Cryosurgery or cry therapy is
likened to "welding" the retina back to the wall of the eye.
Other such "welding" procedures include diathermy (low intensity
electric current) or photocoagulation (heat of strong light
source as in argon laser photocoagulation).
Mechanism
of cryosurgery effect on living tissue :-
When living
tissues are guadually frozen , tiny ice crystals form within
and between the cells , these crystals trigger a repair process
resulting in the formation of a scar which seals the retinal
break (hole).
Cryotherapy
may be given under local (drops / injection) anesthesia or
general anesthesia as the situation demands. A cold probe
is used. There are two ways :
- To
prevent retinal detachment by closing the retinal holes
before they cause detachment. If the retinal hole can be
reached easily with the probe local anaesthesia usually
suffices. The cryotherapy is done on an out-patient basis.
If the retinal hole is too far back and cannot be reached
without cutting any tissue, hospitalization for 1-2 days
will be necessary.
- In
confirmed retinal detachments, the cold probe is used often
during surgery to create small scars at selected points
of the retina. As compared to diathermy (heat treatment)
less damage to the sclera ( white of the eye) is caused.
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