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Treatment of Colposcopy

If the colposcopy shows up abnormal cells, it is common to for the doctor or nurse to carry out further treatment at the same time if you are happy for them to do so. In other cases, it is necessary to wait for the biopsy results before deciding on treatment.

Types of treatment vary, but all aim to destroy or to remove the abnormal cells. Although the treatments may sound unpleasant, you shouldn’t experience anything worse than a period-type pain while it is carried out. You will be able to go home straight afterwards.

• Cold coagulation: A source of heat is applied to the cervix to burn away the abnormal cells.
• Cryocauter: Cells are frozen to remove them.
• Loop excision: Abnormal cells are cut out using a heated wire with an electrical current running through it. The cells can be examined later under a microscope.
• Laser: A laser beam is applied to the cervix and can either simply destroy some cells or be used to remove a small piece of the cervix.

Along with loop excision, cone biopsy and hysterectomy are two further ways of completely removing whole sections of the cervix, although these types of treatment are less common. 

Treatments that remove the cells alone allow normal cells to grow back in their place. These treatments can be performed at an outpatients clinic and do not usually require an anaesthetic.

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