Cryosurgical Treatment Of CIN I–III

One hundred and seventeen patients (age range 18–40 mean 28 years), with ectocervically located intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), histologic grades I–III, were treated with cryosurgery during the period 1974–80. The initial cure rate was 93.2% overall, and 88.1% for CIN III. During long‐term follow‐up (7–12 years, mean 9.8) two failures occurred, one after 2.5 years, the other after 7 years, giving a long‐term cure rate of 91.5% overall, and of 86.5% for CIN III. all patients but one were available to follow‐up (i. e a loss to follow‐up rate of 0.8%). There were no significant early or late complications, nor any untoward effects with regard to pregnancy or fertility. Thus cryosurgical treatment of ectocervically located CIN gives good long‐term results. Scrupulous selection of patients, consisting of a meticulous colposcopic investigation, histologic diagnosis based upon cervical biopsy and curettage, is important to avoid the hazards of invasive cancer.