Histofreezer® FAQs
The following are frequently asked questions about the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System from OraSure Technologies, Inc., a product only available to the professional market. For additional information, please contact Customer Care.
- How can I purchase the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System?
- What types of lesions can I treat with the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System?
- My practice is a business too, how do I get paid?
- Can non-doctors administer the procedure?
- Can I get additional training materials for the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System?
- Do you have information that I can give to my patients about the procedure?
- What Histofreezer kit configurations are available for purchase from my supplier?
- How many treatments will it take to resolve a lesion?
- What is the shelf life of the product?
- Do I need to store the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System kit in the freezer or refrigerator?
- How effective is the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System product?
- How many applications can you perform with one saturated Histofreezer applicator?
- When using the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System, do I need to perform a freeze-thaw-freeze procedure during a single patient visit?
- What is the best technique to ensure the applicator bud reaches the right temperature?
- How cold does the applicator get?
- Can I re-use the applicator buds?
- Can Histofreezer treat vaginal or cervical condyloma?
- While pressing the valve to saturate the Histofreezer applicator, what happens if the cryogen drips onto the floor or clothing?
- How can I purchase the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System?
The Histofreezer products are only sold through Medical/Surgical distributors. Please contact our Customer Care Department (customercare@OraSure.com) for help locating an authorized distributor in your area.
back to top - What types of lesions can I treat with the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System?
Verruca vulgaris (Common warts)
A common wart of the skin or mucosa. The warts are round firm skin-colored papules with a hyperkeratotic (thickening) papillary surface. Sizes range between 1 to 10 mm. The hands, fingers and knees are common sites. Thrombosed capillaries which appear as black dots can be seen on the surface of some warts.
Verruca plantaris (Plantar warts)
Painful, unappealing benign tumors on the sole of the feet caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV-1) when it enters the skin through a cut or skin erosion. These warts can generally be characterized as rough, round-oval growths that can be lighter or darker than their surroundings.
Verruca plana
Also known as a "flat wart", round or oval shaped, only slightly elevated and sharply defined. They may induce however significant disturbances of pigmentation anywhere from flesh-colored in appearance to dark brown. Auto inoculation by scratching can result in linearly grouped lesions. Location of these lesions is commonly found on the forehead, cheeks, perioral (tissues around the mouth) as well as the dorsal side of hands and arms.
Molluscum contagiosum
A contagious disease of the skin caused by intranuclear proliferation of a virus of the family Poxviridae and characterized by the appearance of small, pearly, umbilicated papular epidermal growths. In adults it typically occurs on or near the genitals and is sexually transmitted.
Acrochordon
Common benign skin growths (a/k/a skin tags) that occur most often after midlife. They are tiny skin protrusions, and may have a small narrow stalk connecting the skin bump to the surface of the skin. The origin is unknown however is believed to be an inherited indication.
Actinic keratosis
A premalignant warty lesion occurring on the sun-exposed skin of the face or hands in aged light-skinned persons; hyperkeratosis may form a cutaneous horn, and squamous cell carcinoma of low-grade malignancy may develop in a small proportion of untreated patients.
Lentigo
A brown macule resembling a freckle except that the border is usually regular, and microscopic proliferation of rete ridges is present; scattered melanocytes are seen in the basal cell layer.
Seborrheic keratosis
Superficial, benign, verrucous, often pigmented, greasy lesions consisting of proliferating epidermal cells, resembling basal cells, enclosing horn cysts; they usually occur after the third decade.
Condyloma acuminata
A warty growth on the external genitals or at the anus, consisting of fibrous overgrowths covered by thickened epithelium showing koilocytosis, due to sexually transmitted infection with human papilloma virus; malignant change is associated with particular types of the virus.
Note: Refer to the Histofreezer Directions for Use for the lesion-specific treatment times.
back to top - My practice is a business too, how do I get paid?
Cryosurgery is recognized by most insurance companies. Click here to visit the “Resources” section of our website for reimbursement related information. Please contact your insurance company for confirmation.
back to top - Can non-doctors administer the procedure?
Typically yes, but check with your licensing governing body for confirmation.
back to top - Can I get additional training materials for the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System?
Yes. There is a training/procedure video, patient guide pad and in-office display available at no charge. Please contact customercare@OraSure.com for more details.
back to top - Do you have information that I can give to my patients about the procedure?
Yes. Click here to print a patient brochure for your practice.
back to top - What Histofreezer kit configurations are available for purchase from my supplier?
60M2C ECONOMY KIT
• 60-120 applications per kit*
• (24) 2mm and (36) 5mm applicators
• Up to three-year shelf-life
• Ideal for small and large lesions
36M1C VALUE KIT
• 36-72 applications per kit*
• (12) 2mm and (24) 5mm applicators
• Up to three-year shelf-life
• Ideal for small and large lesions
36F1C 5MM VALUE KIT
• 36-72 applications per kit*
• (36) 5mm applicators
• Up to three-year shelf-life
• Ideal for treatment of larger lesions and plantar warts
40T1C 2MM VALUE KIT
• 40-80 applications per kit*
• (40) 2mm applicators
• Up to three-year shelf-life
• Ideal for treatment of smaller lesions
*See Directions for Use for more information
back to top - How many treatments will it take to resolve a lesion?
Lesions are resolved in one to four treatments with two-week intervals between treatments.
back to top - What is the shelf life of the product?
The 60M2C, 40T1C, 36F1C and 36M1C Histofreezer products have a shelf life of three years from the date of manufacture. Though the need is unlikely, this means there is sufficient cryogen in each canister on the expiration date to saturate all of the Histofreezer applicators provided in a kit.
back to top - Do I need to store the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System kit in the freezer or refrigerator?
Histofreezer does not require refrigeration. Do not store at temperatures above 50°C. See the Histofreezer Material Safety Data Sheet. (MSDS)
back to top - How effective is the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System product?
A study showed an average rate of 93.4% effectiveness for a variety of lesions.1
back to top - How many applications can you perform with one saturated Histofreezer applicator?
After saturation of a 5mm Histofreezer applicator, you may perform a second application on the same patient after a 15-second pause between applications. The use time of a saturated 5mm Histofreezer applicator is 120 seconds.
After saturation of a 2mm Histofreezer applicator, you may perform a second application on the same patient after a 15-second pause between applications. The use time of a saturated 2mm Histofreezer applicator is 90 seconds.
Note: Refer to the Histofreezer Directions for Use for the lesion-specific treatment times.
back to top - When using the Histofreezer Portable Cryosurgical System, do I need to perform a freeze-thaw-freeze procedure during a single patient visit?
No. A freeze-thaw-freeze procedure is not required during a single patient visit when using the Histofreezer product.
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- What is the best technique to ensure the applicator bud reaches the right temperature?
Hold the canister in the upright position. Charge the bud until droplets form. Stop charging, invert the canister with the bud pointing to the floor and wait 15 seconds before treating the lesion.
Click Here to View Histofreezer Demonstration Video
back to top - How cold does the applicator get?
The applicator temperature reaches -55°C, which minimizes risk of scarring or blistering of the treatment site.
back to top - Can I re-use the applicator buds?
Do not use a used applicator for another patient due to risk of cross-contamination. A sufficient supply of applicators is included with each kit.
back to top - Can Histofreezer treat vaginal or cervical condyloma?
No. Histofreezer has been approved for external condyloma lesions only. This would include any condyloma for anogenital, labial and penile lesions.
back to top - While pressing the valve to saturate the Histofreezer applicator, what happens if the cryogen drips onto the floor or clothing?
The Dimethyl Ether, Propane, and Isobutane gas in the Histofreezer canister is a clear liquefied gas that is not harmful to clothing or furniture. Any drips that occur can be simply washed off with a mild soap and will not leave any stains.
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Page last updated: June 19, 2010
