Secondary excision for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: an evaluation of two treatment methods

A small proportion of women require repeat treatments for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of two cervical excisional techniques offered within a London teaching hospital (large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) and laser cone biopsy) when carried out as secondary procedures. A significantly larger volume of tissue was excised following laser cone biopsy, however the depth of the specimen did not differ significantly. A trend for a larger percentage of secondary specimens, resulting in complete endo-cervical margins and a larger proportion of women achieving cytology negative for CIN post-treatment was shown within the laser cone biopsy group.