title: The effects of loop excision of the transformation zone on cervical length: implications for pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to determine whether previously described significant and quantitative cervical shortening caused by loop excision of the transformation zone persists after 3 months of healing.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was designed in which 20 patients were enrolled. Each underwent transvaginal ultrasonography for determination of cervical length before the loop excision of the transformation zone and >/=3 months after the loop excision of the transformation zone. Simple regression analysis and the Student paired t test was performed to determine whether the length of the cervix had changed significantly between the measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean cervical lengths as measured by transvaginal ultrasonography before and after loop excision of the transformation zone were 3.1 +/- 0.8 cm and 3.1 +/- 0.7 cm, respectively. The correlation between ultrasonographic measurements before and after loop excision of the transformation zone was r = 0.88 (P <.0001). A paired t test resulted in a P value of 1.0000, which indicates that the ultrasonographic measurement after loop excision of the transformation zone was not different from the ultrasonographic measurement before loop excision of the transformation zone. The mean difference between measurements was 0.0 +/- 0.4 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After adequate healing time after loop excision of the transformation zone, the length of the cervix, as measured by transvaginal ultrasonography, does not appear to remain shortened.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and The Hatton Medical Research Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45202-2489, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gentry
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Baggish
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hungler
mesh_terms: D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D019092:Conization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014621:Vagina