Cervical abnormalities: CIN3 and CGIN

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy can be used to treat abnormal cervical cells (CIN) by destroying the affected area so that normal cells can grow back in their place. It has a slightly lower success rate than the other treatments for abnormal cervical cells and so it is less commonly used, particularly for CIN3.

Cryotherapy is usually performed in a hospital outpatient clinic under local anaesthetic, and a cold probe is used to freeze the abnormal cells. Most women need only one session of treatment. A biopsy (a sample of the skin) is required before cryotherapy treatment is used.

Cryotherapy is rarely used nowadays and we could not find any woman who had had it for CIN3.

Last reviewed July 2017.