http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/2320-1770.ijrcog20140973 Volume 3 · Issue 3 Page 715 International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology Jindal M et al. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Sep;3(3):715-719 www.ijrcog.org pISSN 2320-1770 | eISSN 2320-1789 Research Article What is better: cryocautery or electrocautery for cervical erosion? Monika Jindal*, Satwant Kaur, Sakshi Sharma, Kumud Bala Gupta, Poonam Pandotra, Bhavna INTRODUCTION Non-communicable disease are emerging as important health problems with changes in lifestyles and demographic profiles of developing countries which demand an appropriate control program before they assume epidemic proportions. Cervical erosion is one of the commonest gynaecological conditions seen in OPD’s. About 85% women suffer from cervical erosion. 1 A benign lesion is sometimes much troublesome due to its chronicity and nature of recurrence. Cervical erosion is the replacement of non- keratinised stratified squamous epithelium of portio- vaginalis by columnar epithelium of endocervix. 2,3 Though it is not fatal, yet the long term association with the disease and a number of symptoms both related to genitourinary system as well as psychological imbalance in the patient, needs attention. Cervical erosion may be a cause of many gynaecological symptoms like discharge, backache, dyspaurenia, intermenstrual bleeding and bladder irritability etc. It can show malignant changes in chronic stage. For treatment of cervical erosion we can do either the cryocautery or electrocautery. Cautery is an office procedure that usually can be performed without anaesthesia or analgesia. Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maharishi Markandeshwar Medical College & Hospital, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India Received: 5 August 2014 Accepted: 19 August 2014 *Correspondence: Dr. Monika Jindal, E-mail: monikajindal@rocketmail.com © 2014 Jindal M et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ABSTRACT Background: Present study was conducted with a background in mind to compare the efficacy of electrocautery and cryocautery for the management of cervical erosion. Aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of electrocautery and cryocautery for the treatment of cervical erosion and to check cost effectiveness. Methods: A comparative study was conducted at Maharishi Markandeshwar medical college and hospital, Kumarhatti (Solan) between July’13 to June’14 among 100 patients of reproductive age group with cervical erosion. They were grouped into 2 groups A (Electrocautery) & B (Cryocautery) and data obtained was analysed by paired t- test. Results: Though in short- term follow-up at 4-6 weeks after cautery, apparently electrocautery was superior to cryocautery in terms of erosion healing rate 92% vs. 76% as P value (0.4557) is not statistically significant, but in long-term follow-up at 12-14 weeks there was no significant difference in erosion healing but electrocautery was cost effective. Conclusions: Both types of cautery were equally good for treatment of cervical erosion in long-term follow-up. But electrocautery occupies less space and there is no chance of gas leakage in electrocautery, so electrocautery is more cost effective. Keywords: Electrocautery, Cryocautery, Erosion, Discharge per vaginum, Eschar DOI: 10.5455/2320-1770.ijrcog20140973