Colposcopy & Cervical Pathology

The Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Department provides consultation, monitoring and/or treatment of HPV-related lesions in the area of the lower genital tract (vaginal cervix or vulva).
 
HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that usually causes transient inflection, meaning that there is clearance in 6-24 months, at which time it is no longer detected.
 
HPV causes the development of benign condylomatous lesions in both men and women, but also more severe damage, such as dysplasia, precancerous lesions, even infiltrating cancer, in the event of persistent infection.
 
Apart from the condylomas, which may be detected by the woman herself, severe dysplasias and cancer may not be detected on time. The need for contemporary screening tests is evident.
 
To date, screening tests commence after the start of sexual intercourse, using the traditional Pap test, which may detect up to 70% of lesions. 
However, IASO applies newer methods, such as liquid-based cytology (LBC), ThinPrep Pap test, but also molecular biology techniques, which detect the DNA or even the m-RNA of the HPV E6/E7 oncoproteins. When combined, the techniques have a diagnostic accuracy over 95%, while it should also be noted that this comprehensive co-testing is performed through a single sample collection via which a full screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can also be conducted.
 
As soon as a test reveals an abnormality, the woman must undergo a colposcopy. If a biopsy is deemed necessary during colposcopy, as it’s not always needed, the histological examination of the sample is performed at the Pathology Lab, which specializes in HPV lesions. Diagnosis is carried out with the help of special staining and techniques.
 
The Cervical Pathology Department is equipped with a state-of-the-art colposcope, while the medical staff are duly certified in colposcopy and may provide suitable guidance in terms of monitoring and treatment.
 
If therapeutic intervention is deemed necessary, the procedure is carried out in a specialized operating room fully equipped with both CO2 laser and monopolar diathermy devices for LEEP – LLETZ techniques, under colposcopic monitoring. These operations are painless, as anesthesia (conscious sedation) is administered by an anesthesiologist.