Cervical smear, Colposcopy, Gynaecological Cancer

Cervical Screening Colposcopic Assessment for Abnormal Smears Colposcopic Treatment for Pre-Cancerous Changes of the Cervix Assessment & Treatment for Cervical Problems Causing Bleeding/Discharge

Cervical Screening

The National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP) recommends that women between the ages of 25 and 49, have a cervical smear every 3 years and between the ages of 50 and 65, every 5 years. One of the problems with cervical screening is the fact that, when there is an abnormality, smears only detect it in 7 out of ten cases, at best. For this reason, some women prefer to undergo cervical screening on an annual basis. We offer a cervical screening service where the smear can be examined in the usual way and can also be tested for the virus (human papilloma virus, HPV) which is the cause of the problem. In fact, the same sample can also be screened for chlamydial infection, which is a common infection amongst sexually active women which may be ‘silent’ yet cause future problems with chronic pain and fertility.

Colposcopy

If a smear result is abnormal, that is, it has detected a pre-cancerous change of the cervix, it is necessary to undergo an examination called colposcopy. This involves the close examination of the cervix through a colposcope (which is like a pair of binoculars mounted on a stand and is rather similar to having a smear taken). If an abnormality is found we can offer treatment which, in most cases, can be performed in the examination room, under local anaesthetic and 95% of women are cured by a single treatment.

Cervical Cautery

There are some normal variations of the cervix which can cause bleeding after intercourse, bleeding between menstrual periods and vaginal discharge. These can often be easily treated by cervical cautery, performed under local anaesthetic.