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Surgical Treatment for Cervical Dysplasia

Cervical dysplasia is the term used to refer to a condition in which the cells on the surface of the cervix change, becoming abnormal. There are a number of surgical treatment options that may be used to treat this condition. Outlined below are the most common ones.

  1. Cryosurgery

    • Cryosurgery is a surgical procedure that destroys diseased cell tissue by freezing it with liquid nitrogen. A surgical implement called a cryoprobe is used to apply the extreme cold of liquid nitrogen to the affected tissue, cooling it down to sub-zero temperatures that fall below 20°C (See Reference 1). This has the effect of killing the diseased cells, which are then shed from the body over the next few weeks.

    Cervical Conization

    • Also called a cone biopsy or cold knife conization (CKC), this surgical procedure is used to get rid of abnormal cell tissue that has formed high up in the cervical canal. It involves the removal of the diseased cervical tissue in the form of a small cone shaped wedge. A small portion of the healthy tissue around the wedge of abnormal tissue will also removed to ensure that no diseased cells are left behind. This surgical method is used as a diagnostic as well as treatment method.

    LEEP

    • This is a form of electro-surgery in which a process called electro-cautery is used to excise the abnormal cells from the cervix, allowing healthy, new cells to grow in their place. It is performed using a thin wire loop that carries a painless electrical current. The electrical current destabilizes and destroys the abnormal cells, while the wire loop sweeps the destroyed cells out of the cervix. LEEP is performed under local anesthesia.

    Laser Ablation

    • This surgical procedure involves the use of a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser to remove the diseased cell tissue. The laser's beam of light is directed onto the diseased cell tissue, heating it up until the targeted abnormal cells essentially "burst" or vaporize. The patient will have a clear vaginal discharge for a few weeks following the procedure. A local anesthetic is administered prior to the laser surgery.

    Hysterectomy

    • A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure in which the woman's entire uterus is removed. This option is usually reserved for severe cervical dysplasia, particularly if it recurs after the use of one of the other surgical methods. It is a major surgery that requires hospitalization, and should only be considered after treatment methods have failed.

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