title: Transvaginal sonographic evaluation of cervix length after cervical conization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate transvaginal sonographic cervical length before and after cervical conization for squamous intraepithelial lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 2002 and October 2004, all women undergoing conization by either cold-knife conization or a loop electrosurgical excision procedure for squamous intraepithelial lesions were prospectively enrolled in this study. Cervical length was measured by transvaginal sonography (TVS) before and after conization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 48 women were studied before and after a mean of 7 days after conization. Complete excision was achieved in 41 patients, and endocervical margins were involved in 7 patients. Mean TVS cervical length was significantly shorter after than before conization (mean +/- SD, 22.7 +/- 6.9 versus 26.7 +/- 8.1 mm; P < .001). The correlation coefficient between cone specimen length and postoperative length was r = 0.75 (P < .001). Mean TVS cervical lengths were 24.3 +/- 6.7 mm in the group of women who underwent a loop electrosurgical excision procedure and 20.7 +/- 9.4 mm in the group of women who underwent cold-knife conization (P = .13).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transvaginal sonographic measurement of cervical length after conization is well correlated with cone specimen length.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Marseille Public Hospital System, Marseille, France. chafika.mazouni@mail.ap-hm.fr
authors.forename: Chafika
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazouni
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bretelle
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heckenroth
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: Aubert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.forename: Ludovic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cravello
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gamerre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019092:Conization; D003452:Cryosurgery; D004598:Electrosurgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography