Helium is a colorless and gaseous element which is inert, meaning that helium does not readily cause chemical reactions. Helium is inert because the outer valence shell is completely filled with electrons; helium therefore does not have the capacity to interact with other atoms. In cryotherapy as a prostate cancer treatment, helium is the gas used for facilitated thawing. After freezing the prostate gland, the surgeon can allow the prostate gland to normal temperatures through a normal thawing process or expedite the thawing process by circulating helium gas through the cryoneedles.
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