LEEP Procedure
In minutes, we can remove pre-cancerous lesions from your cervix. The LEEP
procedure replaces the traditional cone biopsy, shaving the abnormal tissues
away. Over 90% of patients are cured in a single treatment.
The loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) is used when you have
pre-cancerous cells on the surface of the cervix. This does not mean you
have cancer, but treatment of the abnormal area is important to prevent
the cells from progressing into invasive cervical cancer.
After injecting local anesthetic in your cervix, we use the LEEP which
is a thin wire loop electrode attached to an electrosurgical generator.
The generator transmits a painless electrical current that quickly cuts
away the affected cervical tissue — it takes about one minute. After
the lesion is removed your physician will use a ball electrode to stop
any bleeding; he/she may also use a topical solution to prevent further
bleeding. This technique allows your physician to send the excised tissue
to the lab for further evaluation which insures that the pre cancerous
lesion was completely removed, as well as allowing for a more accurate
assessment of the abnormal area.
After a LEEP, you can expect mild cramping, dark discharge, and possible
mild bleeding. You can immediately return to work and light activities.
Do not have intercourse or place anything in your vagina for 4 weeks afterwards.
You should call us if you experience bleeding that is heavier than a normal
period, or if you experience severe pain. Follow your doctor’s instructions
closely after your LEEP procedure; he/she will tell you when to return
for follow-up PAP smears and/or colposcopy. While LEEP will successfully
treat greater than 90% of patients on the first attempt, it is imperative
that you keep these follow-up appointments to be sure that the abnormal
area was completely removed and that it has not returned.