Cryosurgery with refrigerant gas as a therapeutic option for the treatment of leukoplakia: a case report.

Leukoplakia is a nondetachable, potentially malignant, white lesion that is commonly found in smokers of advanced age. Leukoplakia occurs more frequently in men; however, there is a higher index of dysplastic changes and malignant transformation in women. The proposed treatments for this disease range from monitoring to surgical excision. Cryosurgery has been reported as an alternative to conventional surgery. Cryosurgery destroys the tissues of a potentially malignant lesion through the application of low temperatures. This technique offers a low rate of postsurgical infection, absence of hemorrhage, and ease of application, and it is widely accepted by patients. The most commonly used cryogenic agent, liquid nitrogen, is costly and difficult to use. The objective of this article is to suggest the use of a combination of refrigerant gases (propane and butane), commonly employed in pulp sensitivity tests, for cryosurgery of potentially malignant lesions of the oral cavity and to report a case of leukoplakia treated with this approach.