FREEZE BREAST CANCER

Understanding How Cryoablation Works

Who Can Do My Cryoablation?

Generally, your cryoablation procedure can be done by a Breast Surgeon or an Interventional Radiologist. From the technical viewpoint, either of these professionals should be qualified to do the procedure if they have the training and experience.

Dr. Bednarski specializes in truly comprehensive breast care. Taking care of your breast cancer requires more than just performing one procedure.

Having a breast surgeon by your side to guide your care moving forward can be invaluable. Unfortunately, radiologists, even those who are quite skilled, will usually see you just for this stand-alone procedure and nothing more.

Breast surgeons can:

• Determine whether lymph node assessment is needed
• Perform sentinel lymph node assessment
• Advise you on surgical options, if cryoablation is not feasible for any reason
• Do any other breast procedures, if needed
• Advise you on follow-up care
• Advise you on further treatment options
• Help to identify and recommend additional team members and coordinate care with them
• Supervise, order, and review future imaging
• Help with risk reduction
• Guide you on genetic testing

If you are researching or considering your options, you want to make sure that you are comfortable with your decision. You should never feel obligated, coerced, or in any way forced to do your cryoablation with a specific provider just because you had a consultation. If you have breast cancer, you are allowed to put yourself first.

Breast cancer is a journey, and you need a doctor that will be with you along the way.

When deciding which provider will treat you, you may consider non-skill-related aspects. Former patients of Dr. Bednarski revealed that they chose her because she is a woman, because of her excellent bedside manner, because she listens to her patients, or simply because she treats patients as if they were part of her family. 

What To Expect During Cryoablation?

In Dr. Bednarski's hands, the procedure is… well, different than at other facilities. She believes that having any procedure on your breast is incredibly nerve-wracking, and she tries to minimize this anxiety as much as possible.

I like to perform the procedure with dimmed lights and soft, healing music in the background. I make sure that you are warm and comfortable. I will talk you through the entire process, as this is not a time for surprises. I will tell you exactly what I am doing and what you will feel.

During cryoablation, there is some waiting time – as the iceball forms, as the thawing takes place, and then the second iceball formation. I have a very limited joke supply, which I am happy to share with you, but I will likely chat with you about your pets, garden, or food.

—Dr. Hania B. Bednarski D.O. F.A.C.O.S.

Once the procedure is done, we ensure that your breasts are well supported and that you feel well before saying our goodbyes. We also make sure that you are clear on your instructions after the procedure and schedule any follow-ups that are needed.

Is there a Cryoablation Provider Near Me?

Cryoablation as an alternative to breast cancer surgery has been around for over 20 years. However, in the United States, a limited number of providers can do this procedure. If you do not have a provider in your area, you may need to travel for this procedure, adding an extra layer of complexity to care. 

If traveling for a cryoablation procedure is necessary, here are a few things to consider when choosing a provider:

• If you are traveling with someone else (spouse, family member, etc.)
• Non-medical associated costs (hotel, car rental, meals, etc.)
• You may need to stay in the provider's city for at least 24 hours after the procedure.

If you choose to see Dr. Bednarski, her office is in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

Learn more about visiting Dr. Bednarski from out of town.

ONE-OF-A-KIND PHYSICIAN 

Dr. Bednarski trained at the Breast Institute at Mount Kisco, New York. There, she developed the skills of a breast radiologist, breast surgeon, and breast reconstructive surgeon. When it comes to breast care, in many ways, she takes the place of all three of these specialists. She also carefully coordinates your care with other providers to make sure you do not bounce around from doctor to doctor.

Pricing

In the United States, Cryoablation for treating breast cancer is considered an experimental procedure, although the FDA has approved it for treating breast fibroadenomas since 2002. Its approval for the treatment of breast cancer is expected to happen in the near future. Depending on your health insurance and the state where you live, the Cryoablation procedure might be covered, but that is not the case for most health insurances.

One thing to keep in mind is that Cryoablation machines and disposables (cryoprobes) are expensive equipment; therefore, the procedure itself tends to be costly across all providers. 

Many patients choose to pay out of pocket, mainly because the benefits of Cryoablation outweigh the cost.

When comparing the cost of Cryoablation to traditional surgical alternatives, you must look beyond the price tag to make a fair comparison. There is a non-monetary cost associated with surgery that you may want to consider:

These are some of the financial and non-financial factors that you may want to consider when assessing the "actual" price of a Cryoablation procedure. For instance, you pay a monthly premium for your health insurance whether or not you are healthy. When you need coverage for a procedure, your plan may be subject to deductibles, co-insurance, and copays. That means that even if you have good insurance, you may still have financial responsibilities that will be out of pocket.

If you believe that Cryoablation is the right option for you, please contact our office or schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to find out the price associated with your specific Cryoablation procedure.