Treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) by radical electrocoagulation diathermy: 5 years' experience

During the first 5 years of a colposcopy clinic established in a London teaching hospital 653 new patients were seen, usually referred because they had had an abnormal cervical smear report suggesting cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Of 490 women treated within the district for CIN, 361 (73.7%) underwent radical electrocoagulation diathermy, 91 (18.6%) were treated by cone biopsy, 34 (6.9%) underwent hysterectomy and the other four patients were treated by cryocautery. Of the 245 women treated by radical electrocoagulation diathermy who have been followed for at least 12 months, persistent or recurrent disease has been found in only 15, a first time treatment success rate of 93.9%.