Treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia with the carbon dioxide laser: report of 543 patients.

Five hundred forty-three patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia were treated with the carbon dioxide laser and 441 have been seen for follow-up. The success rate was 76.4% after 1 treatment and 98% after 2 treatments. Many patients who returned with apparent minor abnormalities at the first follow-up visit had normal colposcopic results and Papanicolaou smears 6 months later. The complication rate was low, and no significant problems were caused by pain or bleeding at the time of treatment. Postoperative hemorrhage requiring hospital admission occurred in 1% of patients. Laser treatment should be carried out only in departments with colposcopic expertise.