Can Fam Physician. 1987 Sep;33:2083-8.
Colposcopy was introduced to Canadian medical practice in the late 1960s and its use has only recently become widespread. Until the advent of colposcopy, most women with abnormal Pap smears had a cone biopsy of the cervix with all its attendant problems. The colposcope has completely changed the management of an abnormal Pap smear with respect to diagnosis and has had a remarkable influence on treatment. Cryosurgery and carbon dioxide laser surgery were introduced as out-patient treatments for precursors of cervical cancer because by using colposcopy the physician is able to accurately diagnose cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Colposcopy has also been an important tool in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of human papillomavirus infections in men and women.
阴道镜检查于 20 世纪 60 年代末引入加拿大医疗实践，直到最近才广泛应用。在阴道镜出现之前，大多数巴氏涂片异常的女性都进行宫颈锥形切除术，这会带来一系列问题。阴道镜的出现彻底改变了异常巴氏涂片的处理方式，在诊断和治疗方面都产生了显著的影响。冷冻疗法和二氧化碳激光手术被引入作为宫颈癌前病变的门诊治疗方法，因为通过阴道镜检查，医生能够准确地诊断宫颈上皮内瘤变。阴道镜检查也是男性和女性人乳头瘤病毒感染的检测、诊断和治疗的重要工具。
