A comparison of cold knife, CO2 laser, and electrosurgical loop conization in the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Thirty patients with histologically confirmed high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) were treated by either cold knife, laser, or electrosurgical loop conization, all of which were performed under general anesthesia. The three methods were compared with respect to the immediate surgical complications, ease of performance, delayed complications, and quality of histologic specimens. The electrosurgical loop conization had decreased blood loss and reduced operative time and proved to be tissue sparing.