With burgeoning numbers of women requiring therapy for cervical dysplasia, attention has turned to treatment modalities that are safe, effective, inexpensive, and widely applicable. It is estimated that in the United States as many as 600,000 women each year are diagnosed with cervical dysplasia; nearly 250,000 of these are high grade, with many of these in women of childbearing age who may not have completed their families.<sup>1 American Cancer Society   Cancer Facts and Figures Atlanta: American Cancer Society (1995). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 16 Mitchell M.P. The natural history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia Clin Consult Obstet Gynecol 1994 ;  6 : 31-36

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 18 Muntz H.G., Bell D.A., Lage J.M. , e al. Adenocarcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix Obstet Gynecol 1992 ;  80 : 935-939

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 22 Nieminen P., Kallio M., Hakama M. The effect of mass screening on incidence and mortality of squamous and adenocarcinoma of cervix uteri Obstet Gynecol 1995 ;  85 : 1017-1021  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 24 Sadeghi S.B., Sadeghi A., Robboy S.J. Prevalence of dysplasia and cancer of the cervix in a nationwide Planned Parenthood population Cancer 1988 ;  61 : 2359-2361  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> A large percentage of patients with a significant dysplasia can be treated by ablative methods such as cryotherapy or laser. Unfortunately, these methods preclude submitting additional tissue for histologic examination, which increases the possibility of missing microinvasive or invasive cancer overlooked during the initial colposcopic examination. Furthermore, laser is expensive, requiring expert technique and usually hospitalization.<sup>11 Gunasekera P.C., Phipps J.H., Lewis B.V. Large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) compared to carbon dioxide laser in the treatment of CIN: A superior mode of treatment Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1990 ;  97 : 995-998  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> Cold-knife conization and hysterectomy obtain excellent tissue but require general anesthesia and significantly increase overall and pregnancy-related morbidity. These procedures are also expensive and usually limited to experienced surgeons. The recent application of thin wire electrosurgical loop electrodes adaptable to the office setting now allows for treatment of severe cervical dysplasia with retention of excellent pathology specimens and with low general and pregnancy-related morbidity.<sup>4 Bigrigg M.A., Codling B.W., Pearson P. , e al. Pregnancy after cervical loop diathermy [letter] Lancet 1991 ;  337 : 119  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 15 Mayeaux E.J., Harper M.B. Loop electrosurgical excisional procedure J Fam Pract 1993 ;  36 : 214-219

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 20 Newkirk G.R. Loop electrosurgery Colposcopy, Cryotherapy, Loop Electrosurgery Kansas City: American Academy of Family Physicians (1995). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 23 Prendiville W., Cullimore J., Norman S. Large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ). A new method of management for women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasm Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1989 ;  96 : 1054-1060  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup>