Szemészet, 1975 (112. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
1975 / 3. szám
In gynecology, priority is given to cryotherapy of inoperable neoplasms and of cancer of the uterus cervix and of the vagina [11]. Cryotherapy has also been used for treating lesions of the vagina, of the uterus cervix and of the ovaries [9]. It seems that this technique will have a decided part in the treatment of both benign and potentially malign gynecological lesions [31]. Cryosurgery seems to be especially well adapted for treating pathological conditions of the organs and structures of the head and neck [23], hence its growing importance in oto-rhino-larvngology. The results of the treatment of both benign and malign lesions are encouraging [9]. Use is made of cryotonsillectomy and of cryosurgery of papillomatosis of the larynx [11]. Cryogenic treatment of Meniére’s disease gives excellent results in 80% of cases [9]. As far as the treatment of skin lesions is concerned, cryosurgery is a simple, safe, quick, efficient and relatively painless procedure, free from bleeding, infection or scar formation. The cosmetic results are in numerous cases better than with other methods [30]. Cryosurgery is a method of choice for numerous skin lesions [9]. In orthopedics, cryosurgery proves useful in the treatment of bone metastases of cancer and of benign bone tumours. It is especially indicated for treating metastatic bone lesions which are resistant to radiotherapy [26]. In stomatology, malign neoplasms (small cancers) of the buccal cavity can be easily controlled by cryosurgery. With larger neoplasms, it is used rather as a palliative operation [23]. Good results have been obtained in treating viral ulcerations of the buccal mucosa [13]. Finally, vascular lesions are an ideal object for cryosurgery because destruction and haemostasis can be obtained at the same time [23]. Hyperplastic changes of the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and alimentary canal can be easily removed by means of cryosurgery [23]. The progress of medical sciences has been unusual during the last twenty years, but it is especially striking to note the dynamic growth of the cryogenic technique. Over the period of one decade only, it has penetrated almost every surgical specialty. As the last, but not least important field in which the cryogenic technique has found extensive application, ophthalmology must be mentioned. As it is universally known, cryosurgery of cataract has become a routine operation. It should be stressed that at present neither the patient is obliged to wait until his cataract is mature for operation, nor the surgeon, even a less experienced one, is hampered by difficulties to such degree as before. Cryoextraction has democratized cataract surgery, which has lost its confidential character [28]. This is the present state of affairs. As far as the future is concerned, there is the possibility of performing this operation in an even more delicate and atraumatic way by combining cryosurgery with microsurgery. Low temperature is also widely used for operative treatment of retinal detachment. Adhesive chorioretinitis thus provoked favours the reapplication of the retina. Cryopexy reduces or eliminates those risks which have been linked with diathermocoagulation so far. Cryopexy is decidedly becoming more and more popular, and it seems evident that the era of diathermocoagulation is coming to an end in view of the advantages offered by cryosurgery [22]. Independently of these two fields of cryo-ophthalmology, further possibilities of cryogenic treatment of a number of ocular diseases were soon perceived. We should like now to discuss cryotherapy in these fields in which we have personal experience, and in these ocular diseases in which it has proved especially effective. 179
