Risks with Cryotherapy in Elderly Adults

Cryotherapy is an innovative type of therapy, utilized in many healthcare settings. If you are caring for an aging parent who has been referred for a cryotherapy treatment, it is important to become familiar with not only the health benefits but also the health risks that elderly adults experience. Cryotherapy, in most cases, is healthy and effective but, for some older adults, may pose a health risk.

As an innovative type of healthcare, cryotherapy is used in patients of all ages. For elderly adults, cryotherapy is typically used to remove moles, warts and skin disorders that may be causing discomfort in certain areas of the body. While cryotherapy is highly effective, it can impose some degree of health risk as it is a high administration of freezing temperatures to warm skin.

For elderly adults who are at-risk for developing complications involving the skin, including those with suppressed immune systems and complications involving metabolic disorders, there is a greater risk for side effects from cryotherapy. While the procedure, itself, will be effective, many elderly adults with these conditions find they do not heal well from the procedure.

An example of a risk with cryotherapy can be seen in the risk that is developed in patients with diabetes. Because cryotherapy is used, in most cases, to remove warts or moles, there is a risk that infection can develop at the wound site and, based on diabetes, may lead to further infection risk. For this reason, when an elderly adult undergoes the cryotherapy treatment, it is important to discuss these risks and, possibly, obtain antibiotics for preventative measures.

While not typically covered by Medicare, most medi-gap insurance plans provide coverage for cryotherapy in older adults. The key to your loved one's optimal health will lie in the ability to ensure the treatment is necessary and financially covered, but to also understand these risks - routinely associated with this innovative form of healthcare.

Sources: Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer: Cryotherapy, by Edward Rosick