Today, perhaps, no woman needs to prove the necessity of treating cervical erosion: erosive, damaged mucous membrane is the gateway for the penetration of infections, and also increases the risk of malignant neoplasms.
Until recently, nulliparous women, as well as those who plan to continue to give birth in the future, were recommended only conservative treatment of erosion: tampons with broths of herbs, candles, etc. After delivery, erosion, as a rule, was cauterized: with drugs (for example, with solkagin) or with the help of electric current (the scientific name for this method is diathermic excision or electrocoagulation). These methods are still used in public medical institutions on a free basis. But they have significant drawbacks: they are quite painful and unpleasant (older women can tell about their feelings from this procedure, accompanied, moreover, by the smell of burnt meat); after them on the cervix there are rough scars, the tissues lose their elasticity, which can create serious problems in subsequent births. That is why such cauterization of cervical erosion is permissible only in women of the older age group who do not plan future pregnancy and childbirth.
Fortunately, now there are more sparing and progressive methods of radical treatment of cervical erosion, allowing even the nulliparous and planning women to get rid of this problem once and for all. Modern methods of erosion of cervical uterus include:
- radio wave ablation;
- laserovaporization;
- cryodestruction.
The essence of the method
In this article we will talk about the cryodestruction of cervical erosion - removal of erosion by liquid nitrogen. Often you can hear how this method is called "cauterization of erosion by liquid nitrogen" - this is not quite a competent and correct name. The method of cryodestruction consists in cold exposure to the affected tissue sites, so that the term "nitrogen freezing" is more suitable for simplifying the designation of this method of erosion treatment. Treatment of erosion of the cervix with liquid nitrogen is just different from cauterization in that it does not have such consequences as the formation of gross scars and loss of tissue elasticity.
In the cryodestruction of cervical erosion, the affected area of the tissue is treated with liquid nitrogen using a special device - a cryoprobe. By the effect of extremely low temperatures, damaged tissues are destroyed, and in their place a healthy epithelium is formed.
How is nitrogen erosion treated?
Treatment of erosion of the cervix with liquid nitrogen is done on an outpatient basis, the procedure itself lasts only a few minutes. The cold blocks the nerve endings and narrows the blood vessels, so the pain in cryodestruction is minimized, and everything happens completely bloodless.
Cryodestruction of cervical erosion is recommended to be carried out in the first phase of the menstrual cycle, 7-10 days after the onset of menstruation. Before the procedure, you need to undergo a preliminary medical examination, which includes:
- gynecological examination with the use of mirrors;
- the analysis of vaginal smears on flora and sexual infections;
- blood test;
- colposcopy - examination of the cervix with a microscope;
- analysis of smear on atypical cells - with the purpose of excluding malignant process;
- sometimes, if necessary, the doctor appoints another biopsy (plucking a small area of tissue) and histological analysis.
Based on the results of this survey, the doctor decides on the feasibility and feasibility of applying the method
2-3 weeks after the procedure are possible and normal abundant watery discharge from the vagina. And 4-6 weeks after the procedure, there is complete healing of the cervical tissue.
Because of the small depth of the effect on the tissue, the main disadvantages of treating cervical erosion with liquid nitrogen are possible recurrences of the disease and the need for repeated intervention, as well as low effectiveness of the method with deep lesions of the mucous cervical canal. In addition, immediately after the procedure, the patient may experience weakness and dizziness.