Download - Colposcopy Patient Guide - Sanitas · COLPOSCOPY PATIENT GUIDE What Should I Do to Prepare for a Colposcopy? • Schedule your colposcopy procedure for when you will not have your

COLPOSCOPYPATIENTGUIDE

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Time:__________

Callusat 1-844-665-4827orlogintoyouraccountatmysanitas.com

WhatisaColposcopy?Colposcopyisapainlessexaminationofthecervixandvaginawithalowpowermicroscope.Thisprocedureisusuallydonebetweenmenstrualperiodsandgenerallytakeslessthantenminutes.AwomanliesdownontheexamtableinthesamepositionlikewhenthePaptestwasdoneandaspeculumisinsertedintothevaginasoastobeabletoviewthecervixandvagina.

Whyitisdone?IfduringthePaptest,thecervixlooksabnormalorthePaptestfindsabnormalcells,aColposcopymayhelpdeterminethecauseandwhattreatmentmaybeneeded.UseoftheColposcopymicroscopegivesacloserviewofcervicalchangestoseeiftheyareabnormal.Ifanareaofabnormalcellsisfound,abiopsycanbetakenfromthatspot.AColposcopywithpossibleCervicalBiopsyhasbeenrecommendedforoneormoreofthefollowingreasons:• AbnormalPapSmeartestwhichrequiresthistesttofindoutwheretheseabnormalcellsare

andwhattypeofcellsarepresent.WiththehelpofColposcopy,thecervix,(themouthofthewomb),andvaginacanbelookedatcloselyandabiopsy,(tissuesample),canbetakentodeterminethecauseoftheabnormaltissue.

• AnabnormalappearingareawasseenonyourcervixatthetimeofyourPaptest.• YouareaDESexposeddaughter,anditisimportanttolookatyourcervixandvaginatocheck

forpossiblechanges.

WhatisaBiopsyoftheCervix?Abiopsyofthecervixistheremovalofasmallpieceorpiecesoftissuefromthecervixusingaspeciallydesignedinstrument.ThiscanbedoneduringtheColposcopyexam.Thetissuewillbesenttoalaboratorywhereitwillbeexaminedunderamicroscope.Theresultsofthistissueexamwillbereviewedbyyourhealthcareprovider/andrecommendationsfortreatmentorfollowupwillbemade.ThisinformationandrecommendationswillbediscussedwithyouonyournextvisittoSanitas medicalcenter,whichisusually2weeksaftertheColposcopyexam.YoushouldmakethatappointmentforthisvisitassoonaspossibleaftertheColposcopy.

IstheBiopsypainful?Mostwomendescribethebiopsyasfeelinglikeasharppinch.Someexperienceamenstruallikecramp.Theremayslightspottingorbleedingforafewdaysafterthecervicalbiopsy.


WhatShouldIDotoPrepareforaColposcopy?• Scheduleyourcolposcopyprocedureforwhenyouwillnothaveyourperiod.• Youmaywanttotakeanover-the-counterpainrelieveraboutanhourbeforetheexamto

reducethechanceofdiscomfort.AskyourSanitas doctorinadvancetorecommendapainreliever.

• Donotdouche,usetampons,putmedicationsinyourvagina,orhavevaginalintercourseforatleast24hoursbeforetheprocedure.

• Ifthereisanypossibilityofpregnancy,apregnancytestshouldbeobtained,asendocervicalcurettageisNOTperformedinpregnantwomenbecauseofpotentialtraumatothegestationalsacandheavybleeding.

WhatHappensDuringaColposcopyandBiopsy?• Acolposcopydoesnotrequireananesthetic,andcanbedoneatourSanitas medicalcenter.• ThepatientliesdownonanexamtableinthesamepositionusedtohaveaPaptest.• Aspeculum— ametalorplasticinstrument— isinsertedintothevaginatoseparatethewalls.

Youmayfeelsomepressurewhenthespeculumisputin.• YourSanitas doctorswabsthewallsofthevaginaandthecervixwithavinegar-likesolution.

Thesolutionremovesmucusandalsoturnsabnormalcellswhite— makingthemmorevisible.Youmayfeelalittleburningfromthesolution.Yourdoctormayalsoapplyiodinetomaketheabnormalcervicalcellseasiertosee.

• YouSanitas doctorlooksatthemagnifiedcervixandvaginathroughthecolposcopefromoutsidethevaginatheinstrumentneverentersthebody.

Biopsiesaretakenfromanyareasthatappeartohaveabnormalcervicalcells.Thisisdoneintwoways:• Byscrapingawaycellswithasmallbrushorasmallmetalloopcalledacurette• Bytakingaplugoftissueaboutthesizeofhalfagrainofricewithaninstrumentsimilartoa

paperpunch.Thisisknownasapunchbiopsy.• Thetissuecollectedissenttoalabfortesting.Acolposcopyandbiopsyusuallytakeabout10

minutes.

WhattreatmentwillIneed?Sometimestreatmentisnotrecommended,butrepeatingyourPaptestat6monthintervalswillbeneededasfollowup.Iftreatmentisrequired,yourSanitas doctorwilldiscussthiswithyouduringyourfollowupvisit.




CallSanitas at 1-844-665-4827ifyouexperience

v Feverof100.4degreesorhigherv Pain(especiallyinthelowerabdomen)v Unusuallyheavyorbadsmellingvaginaldischargev HeavyVaginalBleedingv Anyunusualsymptomsorproblemsv Anyotherquestions

WhatCanIExpectAftertheProcedure?• Afteryouhaveacolposcopyprocedure,yourvaginamayfeelslightlysoreforacoupleofdays.• Ifyoualsohaveabiopsy,youmayspotorhaveadark-coloredvaginaldischarge.Useamaxipad

orpantyliner.• Throughrare,possibleinfectionsorheavybleedingcanoccur.• Youmayshowerorbatheassoonasyouwantaftertheprocedure.• Ifabiopsyisnottaken,youcanresumesexualactivityassoonasyoulike.• Ifabiopsyistaken,youshouldwaitaboutthreedaysbeforehavingvaginalintercourse.This

allowsthecervixtimetoheal.Youcanenjoyothersexplaythatdoesnotinvolveinsertinganythingintoyourvagina.

• Donotdoucheorusetampons.• Continuetakingyourmedicationsasusual— includingyourbirthcontrol.

BesuretoreturntoSanitas for afollow-upvisitwithyourdoctortodiscussresultsofyourcolposcopytestandget

recommendationsforfuturecare