Appropriate interval for repeat excision in women undergoing prior loop electrosurgical excision procedure for...

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of intervals on complications and pathological examination in women undergoing a repeat loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) for cervical neoplasia. During October 2004 and January 2007, 78 women who had undergone repeat LEEP at Chiang Mai University Hospital, were prospectively evaluated. The mean age was 47.5 years (range; 27-69 years). The mean duration of uncomplicated vaginal bleeding was 4.4 days (range; 1-20 days). The occurrence of persistent vaginal bleeding was noted in 9 women. Among 78 women, 2 (2.56%) and 7 (8.97%) experienced intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage, respectively. Six (7.69%) had postoperative infection. These complications were not significantly different from those observed in women undergoing first LEEP in the same period (P=0.56). There was no significant difference in the incidence of perioperative complications and the incidence of non-evaluable cone margins among women who undergoing repeat LEEP within 4-6 weeks, between 6-8 weeks, and more than 8 weeks after first LEEP. In conclusion, repeat LEEP could be safely performed 4-12 weeks after the first procedure without any impact on pathological specimen examination.