Healing of cervical epithelium after laser treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

The recognition that only a minority of cervical premalignant lesions progress to invasion, and the increasing incidence of these lesions in young women, has led to a more conservative approach in the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. One such method uses the carbon dioxide laser but inadequate length of follow-up has prevented a prediction of risk of recurrence. Observations made in this study on the speed of healing, source of new epithelium, maturation of the epithelium and the absence of herpes nucleic acid suggest that this risk is low.