Medical Liquid Nitrogen: An Overview

Owing to its extremely low temperature and by being in a state of 200 degrees below zero, liquid nitrogen has quite a number of applications. Liquid nitrogen refers to the gas which has been liquefied and is being stored in pressurized containers made particularly for them.

Over the years, liquid nitrogen is being predominantly used in the medical sphere. Dispensing its benefits in the various fields of healthcare, medical liquid nitrogen is finally gaining the acceptance of various experts of their respective fields. Here is an overview of liquid nitrogen being used in the field of healthcare:

Cryopreservation

Cryopreservation refers to the process of storing biological components such tissues or cells in a frigid atmosphere. The extremely low temperatures help in the preservation of such biological components and this process of cryopreservation is made possible with the help of liquid nitrogen.

Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery refers to the application of extremely low temperatures to perform surgery and to destroy or remove such tissues which are dead, diseased or cancerous in nature. Cryosurgery is usually executed through the application of liquid nitrogen.

Applications in dermatology

Liquid nitrogen is also used in dermatology. Essentially used for the freezing of cancerous skin cells, liquid nitrogen is commonly applied via a swab of cotton or through a spray dispersal canister. Once the liquid nitrogen begins to thaw, it would be the thawing process which would cause damage to such cells.

The above mentioned medicinal applications of liquid nitrogen are just a few amongst its many applications.