Cryosurgical ablation is mainly reserved for treatment of unresectable lesions for patients with colorectal liver metastases, including multiple tumors in the liver, tumors located at anatomical position that does not permit liver resection, patients with high risk for resection and patients who refuse liver resection. The techniques of cryosurgery include open cryosurgery, laparoscopic cryosurgery, and percutaneous cryoablation. Long-term follow-up study showed that cryosurgery is a safe and important option for a wide range of unresectable colorectal hepatic metastases and provides the potential for long-term survival.
Keywords: Colorectal cancer; cryoablation; cryosurgery; liver metastases.