From the Guidelines
After cervical cryotherapy, normal physical findings include a watery discharge that may last for 2-4 weeks, which is the body's natural response to the freezing treatment. The cervix typically appears red, swollen, and may have a white or yellow exudate during the healing process. Some mild bleeding or spotting is also common. As healing progresses over 4-6 weeks, the cervix will gradually return to a normal appearance, though it may have a lighter color or slight scarring compared to before treatment. Patients should abstain from sexual intercourse, tampon use, and douching for at least 2-3 weeks to prevent infection and allow proper healing. It's essential to attend follow-up appointments, typically scheduled 3-4 months after the procedure, to evaluate healing and ensure the abnormal cells have been adequately treated. If a patient experiences heavy bleeding (soaking more than one pad per hour), severe abdominal pain, foul-smelling discharge, or fever above 100.4°F (38°C), they should seek immediate medical attention as these may indicate complications such as infection or excessive bleeding. Key points to consider after cervical cryotherapy include:
- Watery discharge for 2-4 weeks
- Red, swollen cervix with possible white or yellow exudate
- Mild bleeding or spotting
- Abstain from sexual intercourse, tampon use, and douching for 2-3 weeks
- Follow-up appointments to evaluate healing and ensure treatment efficacy
- Seek immediate medical attention for signs of complications, as supported by studies such as 1.
From the Research
Expected Cervical Physical Findings after Cervical Cryotherapy
- The expected cervical physical findings after undergoing cervical cryotherapy include improvement in symptoms such as vaginal discharge, postcoital bleeding, and pelvic pain 2, 3, 4.
- Examination may show improvement of cervical ectopy following cryotherapy 3.
- A profuse vaginal discharge should be expected following the treatment 5.
- Hypogastric discomfort and vascular reactions are negligible side effects of cervical cryotherapy 5.
- No severe complications are expected after cryotherapy, except for hydrorrhoea for a few days 4.
- The success rate of cryotherapy is highest in patients with abundant leucorrhoea and lowest in patients with pelvic pain and recurrent cervicitis 4.
Symptom Relief after Cryotherapy
- Symptom improvement is significantly higher with cryotherapy for vaginal discharge, itching, dyspareunia, post-coital bleeding, and pelvic pain 3.
- The severity of symptoms is lower after cryotherapy, even if the symptoms do not disappear 3.
- Cryotherapy is a safe, effective, fast-acting, and cost-benefit therapy for the treatment of symptomatic cervical ectopy 3.
Treatment Outcomes
- Cryotherapy results in improved quality of life scores, but has no significant impact on female sexual function, except for the pain domain 2.
- The sexual pain domain scores are significantly improved after cryotherapy 2.
- Patients should not expect better sexual function after cryotherapy, but may experience relief from symptoms such as vaginal discharge and pelvic pain 2, 3, 4.