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Cryosurgery In New York City

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What is Cryosurgery (Cryoablation)?

Cryosurgery is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure performed at Gotham Footcare under local anesthesia.

Cryosurgery is done to treat Morton’s Neuroma, a painful growth of nerve tissue in the foot. Cryosurgery involves the use of liquid nitrogen delivered through a cryoprobe to cyclically freeze and degenerate the unhealthy nerve tissue that carries painful impulses to the brain by reducing the excitability and conductivity of the nerve.

This procedure helps prevent future irritation and inflammation associated with Morton’s neuroma and allows you to return to your preoperative activities free of pain. While your treatment time can vary, at Gotham Footcare in NYC Cryosurgery only takes approximately 15 minutes to treat one target area. This time may go longer if there are multiple areas to be treated.

What is Morton's Neuroma?

While the term, neuroma, usually refers to a benign tumor in a nerve, Morton's Neuroma refers to the painful thickening of the epineurium, the tissue surrounding the nerve(s) that leads to the toes.

Morton's Neuroma is most commonly found between the heads of the third and fourth metatarsals, the long bones in your feet. When the metatarsals in your feet compress together because of either foot deformities, high-impact activities, or the use of tight shoes such as heels, the nerves between the metatarsals become irritated and swollen. This results in a feeling of stepping on a pebble when you walk or areas of numbness in your feet. To treat Morton’s Neuroma, the doctor will perform Cryosurgery to degenerate the unhealthy nerve tissue surrounding the nerve that is causing pain in your feet.

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The Cryosurgery Procedure

Cryosurgery is NOT a superficial procedure:

Cryosurgery differs from the Cryotherapy that most people are familiar with, which involves spraying the skin with cold nitrogen. Cryosurgery involves making a small incision and going deeper into the foot with a thin probe to target the nerve directly.

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Am I a Candidate for Cryosurgery?

To fully establish your eligibility for Cryosurgery New York City patients will need to contact Gotham Footcare for a consultation. A trained medical professional will examine you and create a treatment plan based on cryosurgery to address your medical needs.

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Benefits of Cryosurgery

There are many benefits to cryosurgery, including:

Minimally invasive outpatient procedure

(Tiny incision with no stitches required)

Minimal-to-no downtime

You can quickly return to regular shoe gear and activities.

Minimal discomfort

Anti-inflammatory medications may be taken if necessary. Bruising may occur which will resolve in one week.

High procedure success rate and low risk

Treatment time is short and there is a low risk of infection. We eliminate painful symptoms in 85% of our patients meaning most patients don’t experience the same preoperative symptoms of pain and irritation.

Treatment can be repeated if necessary

Some patients may need a second procedure to resolve their symptoms 100%.

Cryosurgery is cost-effective

This procedure is covered by most insurance companies.

No stump neuroma formation

Opting for surgery such as a Neurectomy should be the last resort for treatment of a neuroma. Removing the nerve has a 20% risk that a stump neuroma will form, which is one of the more serious and well-recognized compilations of neuroma surgery. A stump neuroma may form when the remaining portion of the nerve regenerates and becomes embedded in postoperative scar tissue. A stump neuroma can result in significant hypersensitivity and pain, sometimes becoming even more symptomatic than before surgery.

Results from Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery preserves nerve function; it does not involve destroying or removing the nerve.

Therefore, you will not have permanent numbness. The objective of Cryosurgery is to restore the affected nerve to its healthy state (unlike a neurectomy, which may result in permanent numbness or increased pain).

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Recovery from Cryosurgery

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Health risks are minimal since this procedure doesn't require hardware, stitches, or removal of the nerve. Antibiotics are given to reduce the chances of infection.

There is a minimal chance of bruising which will resolve within a few days. Cryosurgery is a minimally invasive same-day procedure performed through a small incision that does not require any hardware or stitches. The procedure takes approximately 15 minutes to perform under local anesthesia. Patients can bear weight immediately without crutches and can return to work the following day.

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Your Consultation for Cryosurgery

You can call or email anytime to book your consultation with one of the specialists at Gotham Footcare in New York City.

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Cryosurgery FAQs

How do I know if I need cryosurgery?

At Gotham Footcare, conservative care is always recommended to treat neuromas. Conservative options include:

  • The use of shoes with a wide toe box and thick sole to prevent nerve irritation.
  • Custom molded orthotics with neuroma-specific padding that can help offload pressure to the affected nerve.
  • Padding and Taping
  • Routine icing of the foot with a frozen bottle of water
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Cortisone injections and/ or physical therapy modalities such as electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and hydrotherapy also help reduce neuroma pain.

Cryosurgery is recommended if you have attempted all of the conservative options noted above and continue to experience pain and discomfort.

How much does cryosurgery cost?

Most insurance providers cover most if not all of the cost. If you do not have insurance and you think that you may need assistance with payment, there is financing available, so make sure to ask about this during your consultation.

At Gotham Footcare in NYC, we strive at recognizing your individual needs and desired outcomes while formulating an effective and personalized treatment plan with the highest quality care available.

What sets Gotham Footcare apart from other podiatry offices is our dedication to providing you with the education you need to make well-informed decisions regarding your care. Regardless of what your foot and ankle trouble may be, at Gotham Footcare our team will work tirelessly to help you feel better. At Gotham Footcare, we help you put your best foot forward.