Does the argon gas leak out of the probes?
No. The probes are sealed, and insulated except for the freeze area at the tips. How does freezing kill cells? Unlike radiation which interrupts the cell cycle over time, freezing and thawing ruptures or “pops” the cell wall causing immediate cell death. Treated cells cannot survive. By the time the procedure is over, the cancer has been destroyed. If any cancer cells were missed and cancer recurs in the gland, TCAP can be repeated. It also functions the same way as a “salvage” treatment after radiation if the recurrence is still local (confined to the gland.) What happens after the procedure? Following the procedure, the patient waits in the recovery room until the anesthesia wears off and then, depending on how he feels, can return home immediately or spends the night at the hospital. The patient goes home with a catheter in place to help with urination for a week or two. In general, patients can resume a normal lifestyle immediately after the procedure but strenuous activity should
