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Cryosurgery, also known as Cryotherapy or Neuroablation, is a minimally invasive FDA approved procedure done in the office for pain relief and nerve problems of the foot. Dr. Katz notes that treatments have provided longstanding relief for heel pain, plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma and neuropathy and many other painful conditions.

The procedure is performed under local anestehsia using a tiny incision that does not require stitches. A probe is used to freeze tissue in a 15 minute office procedure. Extreme freezing temperatures produce an anesthetic effect beyond the temporary relief produced by simple cooling. This procedure may be used as a primary treatment but is more commonly used after other conservative treatments have failed.

Cryoanalgesia has been known to decrease pain and inflammation for centuries. Physicians, physical therapists and sports trainers have used ice for many conditions and injuries. Cool temperatures result in vasoconstriction of blood vessels, thus reducing inflammation, but also create an anesthetic effect by altering nerve function.

Researchers performing cryosurgery observed that extreme freezing had an anesthetic effect beyond the temporary relief produced by simple cooling. Over the last thirty years, many treatments have been introduced to address chronic pain by neurologists, surgeons, pain management specialists, and neurosurgeons. These techniques have had a common goal of producing prolonged nerve blocks to relieve intractable pain. Within the last ten years, cryosurgery has been utilized to relieve trigeminal nerve pain, lumbosacral pain and most recently carpal tunnel syndrome.

Advantages to Foot Cryosurgery

* Painless - use of local anesthesia

* Minimally invasive

* In-office physician performed procedure

* Walking the day of the procedure

* Minimal to no down time from work or activity

* Decrease use of pain medications that may cause complications

* May permit patient to return to fashion shoes, sandals and heels

* May permit patient to walk barefoot

Success rates have been high and patients find that they get significant relief while being able to return to normal activities quickly. This is truly a breakthrough technology for foot pain said Dr. Marc Katz of Tampa.