Laser vs. Cold Knife Conization: A Community Hospital Experience

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A retrospective study compared 144 cold knife conizations and 51 laser excisional conizations for postcone infections, healing qualities, surgical techniques, intraoperative and postoperative blood loss, anesthesia and operating time, and the necessity for hospitalization. The relative contributions of these factors to the cost of conization were assessed. There were no postoperative infections in either patient group. The healing qualities of the laser conizations were subjectively considered to be excellent. The majority of laser conizations were performed on outpatients, whereas the majority of patients having cold knife conizations were hospitalized. Intraoperative and postoperative blood loss was less when the laser was used. Although both anesthesia and operating time were shorter with the cold knife techniques, the requirement for hospitalization brought the cost up to that for laser conization.