Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An experimental and numerical study for cutaneous cryotherapy

  • Original
  • Published:
Heat and Mass Transfer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study deals with an experimental and numerical study to quantify the skin necrosis during cryotherapy. Agarose gel (0.6% (w/v)) is used to mimic the thermal properties of the dermis. The spray cooling is performed with 0.8 mm, 0.6 mm and 0.4 mm nozzle diameters for a single freeze-thaw cycle of 120 s freezing and 130 s thawing. The distance from the nozzle to the gel surface (z) is maintained at 9 mm, 18 mm and 27 mm. The numerical modelling for the thermal analysis has been performed with enthalpy equation; the numerical results are well matched with the experimental results. The numerical results are used to calculate the lethal front, ablation volume and gap (distance between lethal and ice front) in the gel. The ablation volume obtained with 0.8 mm nozzle diameter for − 50oC and − 25oC isothermal surfaces is 83% and 62% smaller than the ice volume respectively for all the spraying distance. Similarly, it is 93% and 78% smaller for z = 27 mm while it is 91% and 73 ± 2% respectively for z = 18 mm and 9 mm in the case of 0.6 mm nozzle diameter. The present numerical model may help in the computerised planning of cryotherapy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Andrews M (2004) Cryosurgery for common skin conditions. Am Fam Physician 69:2365–2372

    Google Scholar 

  2. Beckerman G, Shitzer A, Degani D (2009) Numerical simulation of the effects of a thermally significant blood vessel on a freezing by a circular surface cryosurgical probe compared with experimental data. J Heat Transfer 131:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bischof JC (2006) Micro and nanoscale phenomenon in bioheat transfer. Heat Mass Trans 42:955–966

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Breitbart EW (1990) Cryosurgery in the treatment of cutaneous malignant melanoma. Clin Dermatol 8:96–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Budman H, Dayan J, Shitzer A (1991) Controlled freezing of nonideal solutions with application to cryosurgical processes. J Biomech Eng 113:430–437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Budman H, Shitzer A, Dayan J (1995) Analysis of the inverse problem of freezing and thawing of a binary solution during cryosurgical processes. J Biomech Eng 117:193–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Chua KJ (2013) Fundamental experiments and numerical investigation of cryo-freezing incorporating vascular network with enhanced nano-freezing. Int J Therm Sci 70:17–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Chua KJ, Chou SK (2009) On the study of the freeze thaw thermal process of a biological system. Appl Therm Eng 29:3696–3709

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Duck FA (1990) Physical properties of tissue Academic Press Inc., San Diego

  10. Ferziger JH, Peric M (2002) Computational methods for fluid dynamics, third ed. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  11. Gage A, Caruana J, Montes M (1982) Critical temperature for skin necrosis in experimental cryosurgery. Cryobiology 19:273–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Ge MY, Shu C, Yang WM, Chua KJ (2017) Incorporating an immersed boundary method to study thermal effects of vascular systems during tissue cryo-freezing. J Therm Biol 64:92–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hakverdi S, Balci DD, Dogramaci CA, Toprak S, Yaldiz M (2011) Retrospective analysis of basal cell carcinoma. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 77:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hoffmann NE, Bischof JC (2001) Cryosurgery of normal and tumour tissue in the dorsal skin flap chamber: Part i-Thermal response. J Biomech Eng 123:301–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Kuflik EG (1994) Cryosurgery updated. J Am Acad Dermatol 31:925–944

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kumar A (2014) Cryosurgery of a biological tissue with multiprobe: effect of central cryoprobe. Heat Mass Trans 50:1751–1764

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kumari C, Kumar A, Sarangi SK, Thirugnanam A (2018) Effect of adjuvant on cutaneous cryotherapy. Heat Mass Trans 55:247–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Kumari C, Kumar A, Sarangi SK, Thirugnanam A (2018) An experimental and numerical study on nodular gel phantom during cryotherapy. Cryoletters 39:137–146

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kumari C, Kumar A, Sarangi SK, Thirugnanam A (2019) Effects of spray parameters on skin tumour ablation volume during cryotherapy. Australas phys and Eng Sci Med. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13246-019-00740-x

  20. Li Y, Tingrui P (2013) Intracellular ice formation during freeze-thaw repetitions. Int J Heat Mass Transf 64:436–443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Maccini M, Sehrt D, Pompeo A, Chicoli FA, Molina WR, Kim FJ (2011) Biophysiologic considerations in cryoablation: a practical mechanistic molecular review. International Braz J Urol 37:693–696

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Mallon E, Dawber R (1996) Cryosurgery in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. Assessment of one and two freeze-thaw cycle schedules. Dermatol Surg 22:854–858

    Google Scholar 

  23. Massalha L, Shitzer A (2004) Freezing by a flat, circular surface cryoprobe of a tissue phantom with an embedded cylindrical heat source simulating a blood vessel. J Biomech Eng 126:736–744

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Mazur P (1984) Freezing of living cells: mechanisms and implications. Am J Physiol 143:C125–C142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Mercer GN, Tyson AH (2009) Modelling the cryogenic treatment of warts and recommendations for changes to current practise. ANZIAM 50:976–989

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Neel H, Ketcham A, Hammond WG (1971) Reuisites for sucessful cryogenic surgery for cancer. Arch Surg 102:45–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Pasquali P (2015) Cryosurgery. Springer, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  28. Rabin Y, Coleman R, Mordohovich D, Ber R, Shitzer A (1996) A new cryosurgical device for controlled freezing ii. in vivo experiments on skeletal muscle of rabbit hindlimbs. Cryobiology 33:93–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ramajayam KK, Kumar A, Sarangi SK, Thirugnanam A (2017) A numerical study on optimising the cryosurgical process for effective tumour necrosis. Heat Mass Trans 53:1685–1697

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Ramajayam KK, Kumar A, Sarangi SK, Thirugnanam A (2018) Adjuvant-Perfluorocarbon based approach for improving the effectiveness of cryosurgery in gel phantoms. Int J Therm Sci 132:296–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Rossi MR, Tanaka D, Shimada K, Rabin Y (2008) Computerized planning of cryosurgery using bubble packing: an experimental validation on a phantom material. Int J Heat Mass Transf 51:5671–5678

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Rubinsky B (2000) Cryosurgery. Annu Rev Biomed Eng, vol 2

  33. Salloum M, Ma RH, Weeks D, Zhu DL (2008) Controlling nanoparticle delivery in magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia for cancer treatment: Experimental study in agarose gel. Int J Hyperthermia 24:337–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Stone D, Lubritz R, Graham G (1978) Cryosurgical treatment of basal cell carcinomas. Prog Dermatol 12:11–16

    Google Scholar 

  35. Sun F, Wang GX, Kelly KM, Aguilar G (2005) Numerical modeling of the tissue freeze-thaw cycle during cutaneous cryosurgery using liquid nitrogen spray 2005 ASME IMECE pp 1–8

  36. Sun F, Martinez-Suastegui L, Wang GX, Kelly MK, Aguilar G (2012) Numerical prediction of the intracellular ice formation zone during cryosurgery on a nodular basal cell carcinoma using liquid nitrogen spray. Int J Spray Combust 4:341–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Takeda H, Maruyama S, Okajima J, Aiba S, Komiya A (2009) Development and estimation of a novel cryoprobe utilizing the Peltier effect for precise and safe cryosurgery. Cryobiology 59:275–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Telfer NR, Colver GB, Morton CA (2008) Guidelines for the management of basal cell carcinoma. Br J Dermatol 159:35–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Torre D (1977) Cryosurgical treatment of epitheliomas using the cone spray technique. J Dermatol Surg Oncol 3:432–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Torre D (1979) Understanding the relationship between lateral spread of freeze and depth of freeze. J Dermatol Surg Oncol 5:51–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Usatine RP, Stulber DL, Colver GB (2005) Cutaneous cryosurgery, fourth ed. Taylor and Francis Group, New York

    Google Scholar 

  42. Zacarian SA (1978) Cryo corner: Is lateral spread of freeze a valid guide to depth of freeze. J Dermatol Surg Oncol 4:561–562

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Zacarian SA, Adham MI (1967) Cryogenic temperature studies of human skin. J Invest Dermatol 48:7–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Zouboulis C (1999) Principles of Cutaneous cryosurgery:An Update. Dermatology 198:111–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, 769008, India

    Chandrika Kumari & Arunachalam Thirugnanam

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, 221005, India

    Amitesh Kumar

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, 769008, India

    Sunil Kumar Sarangi

Authors
  1. Chandrika Kumari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Amitesh Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sunil Kumar Sarangi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Arunachalam Thirugnanam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arunachalam Thirugnanam.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kumari, C., Kumar, A., Sarangi, S.K. et al. An experimental and numerical study for cutaneous cryotherapy. Heat Mass Transfer 57, 147–163 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-020-02939-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-020-02939-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation