The hazard of cryosurgery for treatment of cervical dysplasia.

Cryosurgery was used to treat patients with cervical dysplasia and cervicitis during a 44-month period. The course of dysplasia following cryosurgery in these patients has been evaluated and compared to the course of dysplasia in similar patients who were untreated or treated with biopsy only. When the groups with moderate and severe dysplasia are combined, a significantly greater number of patients treated with cryosurgery had progression of dysplasia in comparison to those patients in the untreated group. The disadvantages of cryosurgery are discussed, and criteria for evaluation of dysplasia prior to cryosurgery are outlined.