Cryotherapy and Co2-Laser Vaporization in the Treatment of Cervical and Vaginal Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infections

A series of 119 women with Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections of the uterine cervix and/or vagina were included in the present study, where the efficacy of cryotherapy and CO2-laser vaporization was assessed after a mean follow-up of 14 months (SD 6 months) after treatment, as related to the natural history of the disease. Routine Papanicolaou (PAP) smears with HPV-induced changes were the basis for patient recruitment. Patients with cervical HPV lesions (HPV-NCIN, HPV-CIN l or II) were randomly allocated into laser (55 women) and cryotherapy (42 women) groups. Women with combined lesions (HPV-CIN & HPV-VAIN) were treated by laser (22 patients). The cure rate after laser vaporization was practically identical to that of cryotherapy, 64% and 54%, respectively (difference not statistically significant). The success rate was significantly lower (40%) for the combined lesions (HPV-CIN & HPV-VAIN)(p<0.05). The residual disease encountered in patients after the first treatment with cryotherapy and laser was ...