Abstract: A surgical probe having the ability to thermally insulate adjacent healthy tissue from cooling or heating effects at adjacent tissue being subjected to thermal destruction by cryosurgery, electrosurgery and hyperthermia. The probe includes a spatula shaped thermally insulating member that is mounted at the distal end of an elongated rigid member of a width sized for insertion through a small cutaneous incision. The insulating spatula is of a material transparent to ultrasound thus allowing ultrasonic imaging of tissue through the thermal insulator without substantial image deterioration.