Current progress in cryosurgery.

The 4-day sessions of the Eighth Annual Meeting of the American College of Cryosurgery in New Orleans, February 18-21, 1988, provided an intense overview of the position of cryosurgery in modern day medical practice. The variety of speakers demonstrated that interest in the therapeutic technique of cryosurgery remains high and that usage is greater, more diversified, and more selective than in past years. Emphasis at the meeting was placed on the selective use of cryosurgery, that is, defining the terms under which the physician would choose between diverse methods of local therapy, such as excision, electrosurgery, laser surgery, and cryosurgery. Most of the presentations were oriented clinically with emphasis on the results of cryosurgery. This brief report is intended to mention the important new developments in cryosurgery and to focus on some of the issues and needs that affect the future of the technique.