Cervical Dysplasia Treatment

Cervical dysplasia treatment depends on the severity of the present cervical lesions. The diagnosis of cervical dysplasia is made based on the results of several tests. Dysplasia is a pathological state of cervical epithelial cells characterized by abnormal changes in cells’ shape, size and structures. Since these changes occur at the cellular level, it is very difficult to diagnose this condition only by visual inspection. The diagnosis of cervical dysplasia requires cytological and histological evaluation of cervical tissues.

Cytological analysis of cervical cells is usually realized during the test known as Pap smear. The purpose of Pap smear is to evaluate cells and detect cellular changes, but it does not provide a definite diagnosis necessary for cervical dysplasia treatment. In order to assess dysplastic lesions health care providers resort to microscopic examination of cervical surface (colposcopy) and cervical tissue sample (biopsy). In general, these procedures are sufficient to determine the location of lesions, the amount of abnormal cells in the epithelium and the extension of dysplasia and to define the severity of disease.

The severity of cervical dysplasia correlates mainly with the proportion of the entire epithelium thickness affected by abnormal changes. Cervical dysplasia is classified as low grade dysplasia if one third or less of the epithelial layer is affected and as high grade if abnormal cells make up one half or more of the epithelium thickness. Cervical dysplasia treatment may vary from simple follow-up through Pap smears to surgical removal of the diseased tissues depending on the grade of the condition.

Low grade cervical dysplasia treatment is based on the conservative approach since the risk for the health is not high. Sometimes there is actually no treatment at all because the majority of low grade dysplasias regress naturally. However, even in these cases a close medical follow-up is necessary to monitor cervical tissues status since the progression to more advanced stages is possible in some cases.

High grade cervical dysplasia frequently requires removal of the lesions by destructive methods. Lesions may be removed by cold knife, laser, electric knife, freezing with liquid nitrogen. However, it should be noted that cervical dysplasia treatment is not always effective because in some cases lesions may reoccur within several months.