Wednesday, December 19, 2012

What Is Cervical Dysplasia

Cervical dysplasia is a term used to refer to a medical disorder in which pre-cancerous changes occur in the inner lining of the uterus. This causes the growth of abnormal cell tissue in the cervix. Cervical dysplasia is a potentially cancerous condition.


Causes


Cervical dysplasia is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-contracted virus that infects the cell lining of the cervix.


Types


There are two types of cervical dysplasia: squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.


Diagnosis


Cervical dysplasia is diagnosed by means of a pap smear or a medical procedure called cold knife conization (CKC).


Risk Factors


Certain factors increase the likelihood of cervical dysplasia, including multiple sexual partners, cigarette smoking, long-term use of oral contraceptives and poor nutrition.


Treatments


A number of medical procedures have been developed to treat cervical dysplasia. They include cryotherapy, Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP), laser ablasion and cone biopsy. For severe cases, a hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus, may be performed.

Tags: Cervical dysplasia, cervical dysplasia