Diagnostic conization of the cervix: review of 460 consecutive cases

During a five-year period, 460 patients underwent cervical conization on the Gynecology Service at Memorial Hospital. The pertinent medical history of the 393 patients was reviewed as it related to the diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. All patients had repeat Papanicolaou smears and 94.4% had complete colposcopic examination using standard colposcopic procedures, endocervical curettage, and directed biopsies. For the purpose of this review, patients were separated into seven groups according to the primary and most significant indication for conization. The indications for the procedure and the histopathologic findings are discussed for each category. The usefulness of conization in the authors' institution varied according to the indication for which it was carried out. In this series of 393 patients, 18 patients (4.7%) initially diagnosed to have only intraepithelial disease, were found to have invasive carcinoma.