Cervical Cryosurgery Overview

Cervical cryosurgery is the use of extreme cold to freeze areas of the cervix. The cervix is the lower portion of the uterus (womb) that is located in the back of the vagina.

Prior to Procedure

You may want to plan for someone to drive you home.

Normally, no medicines are needed for this procedure. However, pain medicines such as ibuprofen (eg, Motrin, Advil), naproxen (eg, Aleve), or acetaminophen (eg, Tylenol) are usually recommended and should be taken about an hour before your appointment. Ask your doctor if this is recommended for you.

Description of Procedure

You will lie on an examination table with your feet in foot rests, as you would for a pelvic exam. A speculum is inserted into the vagina to hold it open. The cryosurgery probe is inserted into the vagina, and nitrous oxide makes the tip extremely cold. The tip is touched to abnormal areas on the cervix and held there for a few minutes. You may feel some cramping at this point. The tip is removed, allowing the tissue to return to its normal temperature over the course of 3-5 minutes. This freezing/thawing cycle may be repeated several times for each abnormal area on the cervix.

You will remain lying down for at least ten minutes after the procedure. Some women may feel dizzy and/or flushed after the procedure.

How Long Will It Take?

10-20 minutes

Will It Hurt?

You will probably feel some cramping during the procedure. Some women also describe a burning sensation.

Post-procedure Care

At Home

When you return home after the procedure, do the following to help ensure a smooth recovery:

• Follow your doctor's instructions .
• Wear a sanitary pad to absorb the watery discharge that normally occurs for several weeks following cryosurgery.
• If needed, take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to treat discomfort for a day or two after the procedure.
• Do not use tampons or douches. Ask your doctor when you can resume sexual relations.
• Your doctor will schedule regular pap smears in the near future.
• Baths and showers are OK.

The abnormal tissue of the cervix should shed and flow out of the body in a watery vaginal discharge over 4-6 weeks. In some cases, more than one cryosurgery session may be scheduled.

RESOURCES:

National Cancer Institute
http://nci.nih.gov/

Women's Health.gov
http://www.womenshealth.gov/

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
http://www.sogc.org/

Women's Health Matters
http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/index.cfm

References:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists website. Available at: http://www.acog.org/ .

Gay C, Riehl C, Rmanah R, Desmoulin C, Violane B. Cryotherapy in the management of symptomatic ectopy. Gynecol Obstet Fertil.2006;34(3):214-223.

Procedures for Primary Care Physicians. St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Year Book, Inc;1994.

Sankaranayanan R, Rajkumar R, Esmy P, et al. Effectiveness, safety and acceptability of see-and-treat with cryosurgery by nurses in a cervical screening study in India. Br J Cancer.2007;96(5):738-743.