How successful is LEEP?

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) is a common treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), with success rates of 60 to 95 percent reported.

Do abnormal cells come back after LEEP?

LEEP works very well to treat abnormal cell changes on the cervix. If all of the abnormal tissue is removed, you won't need more surgery. In some studies, doctors were able to remove all the abnormal cells in almost every case. But abnormal cells may come back in the future.

Can LEEP get rid of HPV?

Although LEEP does not completely eradicate HPV infection, our results indicate that most HR-HPV infections are cleared after LEEP with negative margins. The clearance rate is increasing gradually after surgery. Our persistence rate was 40.9 % at 6 months, 20 % at 12 months and 11.8 % at 18 months.

How effective is loop electrosurgical excision procedure?

Results: Of the 311 women who underwent LEEP, 283 reported for 1-year follow-up and 248 (87.6%) were disease free. Cure rates were 93.0% for CIN 1, 85.5% for CIN 2, and 72.7% for CIN 3. Minor adverse effects were observed in 34 women and complications were seen in 5 women.

Does LEEP cure cervical cancer?

A LEEP is typically done when a Pap smear or a colposcopy suggests the presence of abnormal cervical cells or cervical dysplasia. While a LEEP can remove abnormal cervical cells, it is not a cure for HPV.

My honest LEEP procedure story

What will LEEP results show?

The purpose of a LEEP is to extract abnormal cells for further testing. The results will inform a doctor about whether a person has an underlying illness and what steps they should take next. A LEEP can help distinguish between precancerous cells and other abnormal cell types, such as polyps.

Does HPV come back after LEEP?

Results. In our study, the rate of persistent infection from HPV 16, after LEEP, was 15.9% (29/182) with 94% (17/18) of the recurring disease occurring within 18 months of follow up.

Does cervix grow back after LEEP?

Does the cervix grow back after a LEEP procedure? Yes. During the four- to six-week recovery time, new healthy tissue grows on your cervix to replace the removed abnormal tissue.

What if HPV does not go away?

In most cases (9 out of 10), HPV goes away on its own within two years without health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer.

What is the next step after a LEEP procedure?

The most common next step after a LEEP procedure is to get a pap smear in six months. It is Really Important to get a follow-up pap smear, after the LEEP procedure.

Can you clear HPV after 30?

There is no cure for HPV, but 70% to 90% of infections are cleared by the immune system and become undetectable. HPV peaks in young women around age of sexual debut and declines in the late 20s and 30s. But women's risk for HPV is not over yet: There is sometimes a second peak around the age of menopause.

Does HPV 16 go away?

The longer the virus is present, the higher the potential for a cancer to develop. The good news is that more than 90% of HPV 16 and 18 infections go away within 6 to18 months of initial exposure.

Why does HPV keep coming back?

There's no guarantee that genital warts won't grow back again because HPV changes the cells of your body in a way that makes them likely to grow. If you have high-risk HPV that sticks around or goes dormant and keeps coming back, that's when it becomes cancer causing (or what doctors call oncogenic).

How many times can you get a LEEP?

If the margins are positive, you may need a repeat procedure. In addition, six months following a LEEP, you'll have a follow-up appointment that includes Pap and HPV tests. In some cases, abnormal cells are found again. If this happens, you may require another LEEP.

What happens if a LEEP procedure doesn't work?

If LEEP doesn't remove all of the abnormal cells, you may have to have LEEP again, or your doctor or nurse may recommend more tests or a different treatment.

Can persistent HPV go away?

In most cases, your body can produce antibodies against the virus and clear the virus within one to two years. Most strains of HPV go away permanently without treatment. Because of this, it isn't uncommon to contract and clear the virus completely without ever knowing that you had it.

Can you have a baby after a LEEP procedure?

Yes, pregnancy after LEEP is highly possible. However, in some instances, patients may experience complications during pregnancy. Namely, the complications that can occur are preterm birth and cervical shortening. Remember, LEEP procedures do not make getting pregnant more difficult.

How long should you rest after a LEEP procedure?

During the healing process, the individual should not insert anything in the vagina, such as tampons or douches. Refrain from sexual intercourse for at least 4 weeks after the procedure. It takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to recover from a LEEP procedure.

Can you get HPV 16 twice?

In theory, once you have been infected with HPV you should be immune to that type and should not be reinfected. However, studies have shown that natural immunity to HPV is poor and you can be reinfected with the same virus type.

Can reactivated HPV clear?

In up to 90% of cases, the infection “clears” within 1 or 2 years, meaning that specific HPV types cannot be detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays of cervical or vaginal swab samples [1].

What percentage of HPV infections are cleared by the body?

There is no cure for the virus itself, but many HPV infections go away on their own. In fact, about 70 to 90 percent of cases of HPV infection are cleared from the body by the immune system.

How does the cervix heal after LEEP?

Don't place anything inside your vagina (such as tampons or douches) or have vaginal intercourse for at least 4 weeks after your procedure. It usually takes about this long for your cervix to heal. During your follow-up appointment, your doctor will examine you and see if your cervix has healed.

How much tissue is removed during LEEP?

For example, ectocervical LEEP sampling removes only the distal 8 to 10 mm of cervical tissue, limiting complications in patients who need no further exploration.

Is a cone biopsy the same as a LEEP?

What is a LEEP or cone biopsy? A cone biopsy is a surgical procedure to find and treat a problem in the cervix, particularly if the abnormality extends into the endocervical canal. LEEP refers to a specific technique for doing the cone biopsy.