title: Percutaneous Image-Guided Cryoablation of Head and Neck Tumors for Local Control, Preservation of Functional Status, and Pain Relief.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report nine consecutive percutaneous image-guided cryoablation procedures of head and neck tumors in seven patients (four men and three women; mean age, 68 years; age range, 50-78 years). Ablation of the entire tumor for local control or ablation of a region of tumor for pain relief or preservation of function was achieved in eight of nine procedures. One patient experienced intraprocedural bradycardia, and another developed a neopharyngeal abscess. There were no deaths, permanent neurologic or functional deficits, vascular complications, or adverse cosmetic sequelae due to the procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous image-guided cryoablation offers a potentially less morbid minimally invasive treatment option than salvage head and neck surgery. The complications that we encountered may be avoidable with increased experience. Further work is needed to continue improving the safety and efficacy of cryoablation of head and neck tumors and to continue expanding the use of cryoablation in patients with head and neck tumors that cannot be treated surgically.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: Jeffrey P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Guenette
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tuncali
authors.affiliation: 2 Medical Imaging of Lehigh Valley, Allentown, PA.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Himes
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Shyn
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: cryoablation; cryosurgery; head and neck neoplasms; interventional oncology