Age 38 – Cervical Cauterization

What happened

• A routine Pap showed a clump of abnormal cells on the cervix, so the provider performed a cervical biopsy to remove a small sample for testing.
• A cervical biopsy checks for precancerous changes, HPV infection, or cancer.
• This woman had an abnormal Pap test 7 years ago.

What the biopsy and treatment involved

• After cutting out a sample of cervical tissue, the provider cauterized the biopsy site to stop bleeding and help the area heal. Cauterization closes small blood vessels and forms a scab, reducing the risk of later bleeding or infection.
• Cauterization can be done chemically (using silver nitrate or Monsel’s solution) or with heat (electrocautery) or cold (cryotherapy). 
• Healing from a cervical biopsy with cautery usually takes about 4–6 weeks. It is common to have a dark, coffee‑ground–like granular discharge as the scab and any leftover chemical slough off.

Biopsy result 

• The pathology report for the sample stated, “CERVIX, 2:00, BIOPSY: Squamous mucosa with no significant pathologic findings.”
• In plain language this means that the tissue sample taken from the 2 o’clock position on the cervix showed no precancerous or cancerous changes and no significant inflammation. No HPV was detected.

What you see in the video

• The video shows a monitor with an enlarged image that the the provider sees when looking into the colposcope into the patient’s vagina. 
• You can see them touching all areas where tissue was removed so the cautery covers the raw spots and helps stop bleeding and promote healing.