Use of the cold coagulator in the treatment of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia

SummaryOf 256 patients with abnormal cervical cytology, 135 were candidates for conservative therapy in the form of either ‘cold’ coagulation or diathermy ablation for the management of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN). Sixty-five were treated with cold coagulation and 70 patients with diathermy ablation, the degree of CIN being similar in the two groups. The failure rate was higher in the diathermy treated group (23 per cent) compared to the cold coagulation treated group (11 per cent). Most of the failures in both groups were successfully treated by a further application of the cold coagulator.Cold coagulation has the advantage of being an inexpensive outpatient procedure without the need for general anaesthesia.