CRYOGENIC FREEZING OF BRAIN TUMORS FOR EXCISION OR DESTRUCTION IN SITU.

Abstract

T HE first report of the local application of cold in the t reatment of neoplasms was published in England by James Arnot t 1 in 1851. Since that time, there have been many investigations that indicated the potential usefulness of cooling or freezing of biologic tissues in order to destroy malignancies.2.~ 10 la Smith 21 and Fay n reported intensive investigations of generalized lowering of body temperature in an a t tempt to inhibit neoplastic growth. Most students of this problem, however, concluded that the method of generalized hypothermia was too hazardous and too uncertain in its effects to be employed consistently for the purpose of inhibition of tumor cells. TM The local application of cold has been employed more successfully. However, the lack of adequate instrumentation has prevented the realization of the potential value of extreme cold as a surgical tool. Nevertheless, the studies of Rowbotham et al., 2~ Hass and Taylor, 12 Bory, ~ Ries and Tytus , 1~ and others, have indicated that local application of extreme cold might facilitate the destruction or removal of certain types of brain tumor. I t is the purpose of this report to describe our use of a cryogenic surgical system to freeze various types of brain tumors for the purpose of producing local necrosis of the tumor i n si tu, or to facilitate the removal of the tumor as a solid frozen mass.