Cryosurgical treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: Analysis of failures

Cryosurgery is rapidly becoming the treatment of choice for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (dysplasia and carcinoma in situ) in the young woman desirous of retaining her reproductive capacity. This report analyzes 87 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia treated with cryosurgery on one municipal hospital service. Twenty-seven patients (31.0%) were lost to follow-up. Of the 60 patients on whom follow-up from 6 months to 3 years is available, 28 (46.6%) are documented treatment failures. The causes of failure are analyzed and comparisons from the current literature are made.