The vaginal part of the cervix, on the other hand, is covered with a different type of epithelium – made up of several layers of flat cells. The cervix is therefore the place where two types of epithelial tissue meet. The junction of both epithelium is a special location. It is here where the changes in the structure of cells begin, which may be the nucleus of the developing neoplastic and inflammatory processes.
Cervical electroconization - what is it?
Pap smear or colposcopy is not always normal. In such a situation, cervical electroconization is performed under general anesthesia. Electroconization is one of the most-chosen and most popular treatments in the diagnosis of cervical cancer. While using the electrosurgical loop at low voltage, the material necessary for further diagnostics – histopathological examinations – is collected. If there are any abnormal tissues in the cervix, the procedure removes them and acts as a therapy.
The loops are characterized by various sizes and shapes, and the doctor adjusts the appropriate device to the patient undergoing the procedure. Cervical electroconization guarantees that patients can tolerate it better than surgical conization. The procedure is also easy to perform and is a relatively inexpensive method. Cervical electroconization performed under general anesthesia means, that patients do not feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure.
Cervical electroconization in Poland, is it worth it?
Indications
The main indication for cervical electroconization are abnormalities in the cytological examination, which indicate an underlying disease process or inflammation. Other indications include the disturbing picture as a result of colposcopic examination, CIN1 and CIN2 squamous epithelial dysplasia – pathological cellular changes of a small degree in the cervix.
If the precancerous lesion is removed early enough by conization, the risk of cancer or the development of cervical dysplasia can be significantly reduced.
The doctor may also order the procedure in a situation where cervical erosions or leukoplakia are diagnosed and the patient has large genital warts. The procedure is not performed when the patient is undergoing menstrual bleeding. Besides, if you want to:
- Perform the procedure quickly and painlessly,
- Carry out the procedure without large financial outlays,
- Detect disturbing changes in the cervix,
and you also care about safety during the examination, cervical electroconization is the perfect solution to these types of issues!
The procedure
Cervical conization should only be performed after the absence of inflammation of the vagina or urinary tract. It is performed in the first phase of the cycle, after menstrual bleeding has stopped. You must provide the doctor with information about the drugs used. In the case of taking acetylsalicylic acid derivatives, the preparation is discontinued 2 weeks before the procedure, after consulting a doctor. You go to electroconization without eating – on an empty stomach. The last food should be eaten by 6 p.m. the previous day.
If the patient has a low pain threshold related to the experience of pain, and is healthy, electrostimulation is used under general anesthesia. The patient does not feel any pain related to the procedure. General anesthesia is administered intravenously or in the lumbar region and enables the total pain relief during conization.
The cervical electroconization begins with placing the patient on a specialized gynecological chair, stripped from the waist down. By using a speculum, your doctor has better access to the cervix. He then inserts an electrical loop through which a section of the cervix is cut out in the form of a 1.5 cm high cone. It will be a substance for later histopathology. If there are any tissue abnormalities in the cervical area, they can be repaired by an electrical loop. A low voltage current is supplied internally by using a narrow wire that is inserted into the vagina. The procedure takes about 40 minutes and you can cure the uterine cavity afterwards.
If, during the examination, the doctor notices anything disturbing, he may take a sample for histopathological examination. If the gynecologist has not decided to have a biopsy, the patient will get the result immediately after the procedure.
Advantages of cervical electroconization
Cervical electroconization is a test that has many advantages. The most important ones include, for example:
- Effectiveness of the method – cervical electroconization is used to further diagnose women whose pap smear or colposcopy results do not show normal results. Thanks to this, it allows you to effectively find out the cause of the irregularities.
- High accuracy – low voltage electrosurgical loops enable the cutting of test material in a very precise way. The doctor adjusts the device to the patient undergoing the procedure.
- Painless and safe – the test is performed under general anesthesia, thanks to which the patient does not feel any pain.
The effects
A few hours after the procedure, the patient may experience unpleasant pain and cramps in the lower abdomen, which sometimes appear the next day. In such a situation, it is best to take a sick leave, because you need rest and conditions that will allow the scars to heal after the treatment. Convalescence takes about 3-4 weeks and the walls of the cervix usually heal properly. The procedure does not affect the process of getting pregnant in any way.
After the procedure, you should refrain from sexual contact for some time, because it may disturb the healing processes and lead to the development of inflammation, which is highly undesirable in this situation. The same applies to tampons – they absolutely cannot be used after the electroconization procedure.
The patient must follow the rules of intimate hygiene as it will greatly facilitate the convalescence process. After cervical electroconization, there may be slight discharge and spotting from the vagina, but this should be reported in advance by your doctor. They may last up to 3 weeks. Minor bleeding may appear about 7-10 days after the procedure, which is indicative of the regenerative processes of the uterine wall tissue.
If you are looking for a painless method that will allow you to detect a dangerous cervical cancer and take a histopathological sample at the same time, then cervical electroconization is a solution tailored to your needs!
