Advantages | Disadvantages |
Cold knife conization |
- Technical simplicity
- Excellent specimen quality
| - General or regional anesthetic required
- Distortion after healing
- Complication rate higher
|
Laser conization |
- Good specimen quality
- Good hemostasis
- Healing with minimal distortion
- Low complication rate
- Can be done in an office setting
- Flexible treatment of endocervix
| - Technically difficult
- Expense and upkeep of equipment
- Some thermal damage
- A narrow deep cone is difficult
|
Large loop excision of the transformation zone |
- Easily done in the office setting
- Rapid performance
- Technically easy
- Equipment inexpensive
- Low complication rate
- Good specimen quality
- Healing with minimal distortion
| - Some thermal damage
- A large or deep cone may be difficult to perform in the office and result in more thermal damage if a second loop excision is required
|