Cryoablation Of The Cervix

For patients with recurrent MILD abnormal Pap smears or HPV.

This procedure is for patients with chronic mildly abnormal Pap smears or for patients with an HPV infection that has been present for more than 18 months.

This procedure is NOT for patients who have high-grade abnormalities on their Pap smear or who have cervical cancer.

This is done in our Scarsdale office. No anesthesia is necessary.

Cryosurgery is performed by freezing and destroying abnormal tissue and killing HPV on the cervix.

Cryosurgery is the super-freezing of tissue to destroy it.

During the procedure:

• An instrument is inserted into the vagina to hold the walls open.

• Next, a cryoprobe is inserted into the vagina. This device is placed firmly on the surface of the cervix, covering the abnormal tissue.

• Compressed nitrogen gas flows through the instrument, making the metal cold enough to freeze and destroy the tissue and kill HPV.

• An "ice ball" forms on the cervix, killing the abnormal cells.

For the treatment to be most effective:

• The freezing is done for 3 minutes

• The cervix is allowed to thaw for 5 minutes

• Freezing is repeated for another 3 minutes

Risks:

• Bleeding

• Infection

• There is no risk to future fertility, no risk to future pregnancies

After the Procedure:

You might feel lightheaded right after the procedure. If this happens, lie down flat on the examination table so that you do not faint. This feeling should go away in a few minutes. You can resume almost all of your normal activities right after surgery.

For 2 to 3 weeks after the surgery, you will have a lot of watery discharge caused by the shedding (sloughing) of the dead cervical tissue.

You should avoid sexual intercourse and use tampons for 1 week.

Outlook (Prognosis): A follow-up Pap smear in 6 months is usually appropriate to ensure the abnormal cells are gone and/or HPV is not present.