Cervical Cryosurgery
Definition |
Body Parts Involved |
Reasons for Procedure |
Complications |
What to Expect |
Outcome |
Call Doctor If
Definition
The use of extreme cold to freeze areas of the cervix
Parts of the Body Involved
Vagina, cervix
Reasons for Procedure
To kill and remove abnormal cells of the cervix, particularly pre-cancerous or cancerous cells
Risk Factors for Complications during the Procedure
- Undiagnosed infection
- Bleeding disorder
- Diabetes
- Obesity
What to Expect
Prior to Procedure - Shower the morning of your procedure. You may want someone to drive you home.
During Procedure - No medications are usually given for this procedure
Anesthesia - None
Description of the Procedure - You lie on an examination table, with your feet in stirrups as you would for a pelvic exam. A speculum is inserted into the vagina to hold it open. The cryosurgery probe is inserted into the vagina, and nitrous oxide makes the tip extremely cold. The tip is touched to abnormal areas on the cervix, and held there for 3-5 minutes. You may feel some cramping at this point. The tip is then removed, allowing the tissues to return to their normal temperature over the course of 3-5 minutes. This freezing/thawing cycle may be repeated several times for each abnormal area on the cervix.
After Procedure - You'll remain lying down for at least ten minutes after the procedure has been completed, since some women feel dizzy and/or flushed.
How Long Will It Take? 10-30 minutes
Will It Hurt? You'll probably feel some cramping during the procedure. Some women also describe a burning sensation.
Possible Complications:
- Dizziness, fainting, hot flashes
- Cramping
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Scarring or narrowing of the cervical opening
Average Hospital Stay - None
Postoperative Care:
- Wear a sanitary pad to absorb the watery discharge that normally occurs for several weeks following cryosurgery
- If needed, take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to treat discomfort for a day or two after the procedure
- Do not use tampons or douches, and do not have sexual intercourse for 4-6 weeks after cryosurgery
- If cryosurgery was performed to treat pre-cancerous or cancerous cells, have a Pap smear every 3-4 months for the following year, and then every six months for the second year
Outcome
The abnormal tissues of the cervix should shed and flow out of the body in a watery vaginal discharge over 4-6 weeks following the procedure. In some cases, more than one cryosurgery session may be scheduled.
Call Your Doctor If Any of the Following Occurs
- Signs of infection, including fever and chills
- Abdominal pain
- Vaginal bleeding, other than light spotting, especially if it saturates more than one pad per hour
- Vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor
- Continued pain or cramping not relieved by over-the-counter pain medications
SOURCES:
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Procedures for Primary Care Physicians. Mosby-Year Book, Inc., 1994.
Last reviewed March 2001 by Medical Review Board
