Cervical conization

Conization is necessary when a patient’s cervical screening (or commonly known as a Pap smear test) results come back as abnormal. When this happens it is important to surgically remove the affected cervical tissue to prevent the development of cervical cancer.

Conization is used both as a diagnostic tool and treatment: tumors, pre-cancerous conditions and inflammation can be diagnosed and also treated with conization.

The surgery is done under general anesthesia. During the procedure you lay in the position well-known from gynecological examinations; the surgeon accesses your cervix through your vagina so there aren’t any unnecessary cuts left on your abdomen as a result of the procedure.

Your surgeon excises the abnormal cervical tissue with the help of a regular or electric scalpel. When the latter is used there is no need for stiches and recovery is faster. In the case of a regular scalpel the surgeon uses absorbable suture to stop the bleeding.

A tissue sample is sent to the histopathology department where it undergoes extensive analysis under the microscope to determine the underlying cause of the problems.

Undergoing surgery is usually the only step you need to take to prevent the development of localized tumors or inflammation.

After a couple of hours of monitoring you can leave Medicover Hospital to recover in your own home.

As with any surgery, there are some risks associated with cervical conization, including inflammation, infections and bleeding, all of which can easily be treated with medication. In extremely rare cases a stenosis of the uterine cervix may occur. It can be corrected with surgery.

You will receive a patient information sheet and an informed consent form which will provide you with detailed information regarding the risks of the operation, as well as what to expect before, during and after the procedure. By all means feel free to discuss the possible risks or any other concerns with your gynecological surgeon before making a treatment decision.

There are certain risks associated with general anesthesia too, these will be explained to you on a separate information sheet. You will be required to sign a second informed consent form regarding anesthesia. You will also have some preoperative tests to ensure that these risks are reduced to a minimum.

It is important to call your surgeon immediately if you develop a fever, bleeding, or other serious symptoms after your release from the hospital.

It is safe to say that not performing the surgery carries much more risks than the procedure itself. The conditions causing symptoms and abnormal Pap smear test results can develop further, leading to potentially fatal conditions.