Outpatient laser cone biopsy under local anesthesia.

The authors report on 60 patients who had abnormal findings on cervical cytologic examination, necessitating conization of the cervix. The procedure was done in an ambulatory setting, with a carbon-dioxide laser unit and local anesthesia. The average operative time was 16.9 minutes. Fifty-one (85%) patients experienced no complications, and there were no cases of excessive bleeding. In all patients, the specimen was satisfactory for histologic review. Only 5% (three) of patients would have preferred to have the procedure performed under general anesthesia. Laser cone biopsy of the cervix can be performed in an outpatient setting, with local anesthesia. Morbidity is minimal and there is potential for economic saving when compared with conventional methods for biopsy of the cervix.