title: [Recovery of cervical portio epithelial integrity using radiofrequency: preliminary results].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the radiosurgical procedure (high frequency, filtered wave-form energy) in the management of benign lesions of uterine cervix.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective study a radiothermal cautery treatment by micro-needle was performed to 168 women, attending a gynecology office, with an abnormal cervical cytology, istology and with a colposcopic diagnosis of benign cervical lesions with a total visibility of squamous columnar junction and no extended lesion of cervical canal. Cytology and colposcopy were used to follow up after treatment 3-4 months and 10-12 months after the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  130 women (77.6%) obtained a complete recovery at the first follow-up. Partial treatment failure, defined as the persistence or recurrence of a small cervical lesion after three months, was observed in 19 women (18.2%) but after a second treatment in the 100% we obtained a complete recovery with a well visible squamous columnar junction. Radiothermal cautery procedure was advantageous with a shorter duration of surgery, lower cost, reduced operation bleeding, no need for pain-relieving medication and shorter duration of postoperative disability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This surgical procedure resulted an excellent technique to obtain a complete epithelial recovery of uterine cervix, easy and cheap to be executed in a outpatient office.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Ginecologiche, Perinatologia e Puericultura, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Roma, Italia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perniola
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Imperato
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perniola
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iuele
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Basili
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perniola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000078702:Radiofrequency Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy