The incidence and cytological predictors of residual cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia after histologically incomplete excision by loop diathermy

SummaryIn a study of 120 consecutive women with incomplete excision by large loop diathermy, the incidence of residual cervical-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) was compared with that in a control group of 130 women with reported complete excision of CIN.Ten per cent of the study group were found to have residual CIN at follow up. In nine of them (82 per cent) the CIN was incompletely excised at the endocervical margin of excision. A second excision removed residual disease entirely. Only one of the 130 (0˙8 per cent) controls with complete excision reported had residual disease.Although 27 per cent of the study group and 11 per cent of the controls had abnormal cytology at 4 months, only moderate and severe dyskaryosis indicated residual CIN in both groups. In follow up women, mild dyskaryosis and borderline squamous cell atypia seems not to be associated with residual CIN, even after a histological report of incomplete CIN excision.