This procedure removes abnormal tissue from your cervix. Your cervix is the lower part of your womb. LEEP helps us diagnose and treat problems with the cervix. It removes cells that, if left untreated, may turn into cancer.
To begin, you lie on an exam table that supports your legs and feet. We may give you medicine to get you relaxed and numb. We carefully place a device called a "speculum" into your vagina. The speculum holds your vagina open so we can reach your cervix. We do the procedure while looking through a lighted magnifying device called a "colposcope." We may put a solution on your cervix to make the abnormal tissues easier to see.
Now it's time to remove the abnormal cells. We do this with a thin device that has a loop of wire at the end. We charge the wire with an electric current. As we pass the loop across your cervix, it removes a thin layer of surface tissue. We collect this tissue for study.
When it's done, we watch you for a brief time, then you can go home. Follow your care tips for a safe recovery. We'll send the removed tissue to a lab so we can learn more about it. Your doctor will follow up with you to discuss your next steps.