Cryosurgery Of The Cervix

Alternate Names
cervical freezing treatment
freezing of the cervix
cryotherapy of the cervix

Definition of Cryosurgery Of The Cervix

Cryosurgery of the cervix is the freezing of a section of the cervix, the lower portion of the uterus where it attaches to the vagina. This is usually done to remove cells that show the types of changes that sometimes lead to cancer. Cells with these types of changes are called precancerous.

Who is a candidate for the procedure?

Cryosurgery may be used to treat a woman who has:

• an inflamed cervix, called cervicitis
• certain types of precancerous changes in the cervix. These changes are usually first detected from a Pap smear.
• some forms of cervical ectropion, a normal change in the position of the glands but which may sometimes cause a chronic or long-standing whitish or yellowish discharge.

How is the procedure performed?

This procedure can often be done in the doctor's office. First, an instrument called a speculum is used to hold the vaginal walls apart so that the cervix can be seen well. This instrument is also used during a regular Pap smear.

A bit of gel is then put on the cervix.

This helps create a good seal for a tool called a cryoprobe which is placed on the cervix.

The cryoprobe delivers liquid nitrogen, which is extremely cold, and freezes the cervix cells for about 3 to 5 minutes. After a wait of 2 to 3 minutes to let the cells warm up, they are frozen again for 3 to 5 minutes. This repeated freezing destroys the cells.

What happens right after the procedure?

When cryosurgery has been used to treat precancerous cells in the cervix Pap smears should be done more frequently. A Pap smear is done to test for cancer of the cervix.

If a Pap smear is abnormal, the cervix may need to be examined by a magnifying instrument called a colposcope. A biopsy of the cervix may be needed to check the cells of the cervix more closely. A biopsy involves taking a small piece of tissue from the cervix with a special instrument. The tissue can then be sent to the lab for analysis.

What happens later at home?

A woman may go back to her normal activities after the procedure.

Mild cramping may be treated with over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen (i.e., Advil, Motrin), naproxen (i.e., Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn), or acetaminophen (i.e., Tylenol).

During the next month, the cells that were frozen will be lost in the form of a clear discharge from the vagina. To allow the tissues to heal, the woman should not put anything in her vagina for 4 to 6 weeks after the procedure. This means that during this time she must avoid using douches or tampons and abstain from sexual intercourse.

What are the potential complications after the procedure?

Rarely, complications can occur, such as:

• bleeding from the cervix
• infection of the cervix
• narrowing of the cervix, which may cause more cramping than normal during menstruation if it blocks the menstrual flow

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