Should punch biopsies be used when high-grade disease is suspected at initial colposcopic assessment? A prospective study.

The reliability and applicability of colposcopically directed cervical punch biopsy was assessed in a sample of 170 paired punch and large loop excision of cervical transformation zone (LLETZ) specimens obtained from previously untreated women who had been selected for treatment on the basis of cytology and/or colposcopic findings and in whom the entire cervical transformation zone was visible. A single punch biopsy was taken immediately before the LLETZ, and all the specimens were reviewed by a single pathologist. Nine (5.

The difference a day makes.

A patient attended a clinic requesting Depo Provera after emergency contraception. She gave a history of normal menstruation, but a pregnancy test proved positive. Subsequently an ectopic pregnancy was diagnosed.

How can the incidence of negative specimens resulting from large loop excision of the cervical transformation zone (LLETZ) be reduced? An analysis of negative LLETZ specimens and development of a predictive model.

Objective: To analyse biopsies of large loop excision of the transformation zone of the cervix; to identify factors associated with negative histology; and to develop predictive models in order to reduce the number of negative loop excisions.

Design: Retrospective analysis of patient notes and audit database.

Setting: Colposcopy clinic of a large district general hospital in North Staffordshire.

A comparison of the side effects of prilocaine with felypressin and lignocaine with adrenaline in large loop excision of the transformation zone of the cervix: results of a randomised trial.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that prilocaine with felypressin causes fewer side effects than lignocaine with adrenaline when performing large loop excision of the transformation zone of the cervix.

Design: Randomised trial.

Setting: Colposcopy clinic in a large district general hospital.