Premium
Safety, feasibility, and acceptability of visual inspection with acetic acid and immediate treatment with cryotherapy in rural Laos
Author(s) -
Phongsavan Keokedthong,
Phengsavanh Alongkone,
Wahlström Rolf,
Marions Lena
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2011.03.009
Subject(s) - cryotherapy , medicine , visual inspection , cervical cancer , cervix , lesion , cancer , surgery , statistics , mathematics
Objective To assess the safety, acceptability, and feasibility of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) followed by immediate treatment with cryotherapy as a single‐visit approach for the prevention of cervical cancer among women in rural Laos. Methods In 2009, women from 2 provinces in Laos were recruited for cervical cancer screening using VIA. If the inspection of the cervix showed a well‐defined acetowhite lesion close to the os, immediate cryotherapy was offered. Results Of the 1926 women who were included, 134 (7.0%) tested positive on VIA. Of these, 113 (84.3%) underwent immediate cryotherapy and none declined treatment. One year after immediate cryotherapy, 77 (68.1%) women returned for a follow‐up assessment and 68 (88.3%) were now VIA‐negative. There was no report of a major complication during or after treatment. The acceptance of both VIA and cryotherapy was high. Conclusion Visual inspection with acetic acid is a simple test that requires minimal infrastructure and expenditure. Integration of VIA with cryotherapy at the primary care level may constitute a feasible program for the prevention of cervical cancer in Laos.