title: Outcomes of carbon dioxide laser conization for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade III.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the rates of incomplete excision of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) III after carbon dioxide laser conization, and the risk of reappearance of CIN depending on the excision margins.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 153 women who underwent carbon dioxide laser conization for CIN III between 1988 and 1998 at our hospitals were eligible for inclusion in the study and their notes were retrospectively studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histological examination of the excision margins revealed complete excision in 134 (87.6%), uncertain margins in one, and extension of CIN to the margins in 18 (11.8%) cases. The treatment failure rate in the cases with clear margins was 2.2% (3 of 134), and in the cases with involved margins 44.4% (8 of 18) (p < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carbon dioxide laser conization despite the worldwide use of LLETZ still has a place in the treatment of CIN. Very high rates of complete excision were achieved. As incomplete excision does not always result in treatment failure, neither do clear margins always indicate eradication of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristoteleion University of Thessalonika, Greece.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stamatopoulos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasapis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koliopoulos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paraskevaidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide