Abstract
Clinical, cytologic, histologic and electron-microscopic studies on cryo-surgery for the treatment of chronic cervicitis were carried out in 119 patients who were suffering from heavy discharge and/or contact bleeding due to wide erosion. Healing was documented in 92% without serious side effects. Repeat cryosurgery was required to control bleeding in 2 cases and a case of recurrent adnexitis was observed. Atypias were present in 19% of cytological specimen obtained during follow-up. Cytomorphological anal-ysis revealed atypical cells showed identical features observed in tissue re-pair cells. Healing process took place initially on both ecto- and endocervix with covering the denuded area with mono-layered cells. It was suggested that main process of epidermization was reserve cell hyperplasia-squamous metaplasia-squamous epithelium. Electron-microscopic investigation re-vealed that severe damages were present immediately after freezing in cells of squamous epithelium which looked almost unchanged by light microscopic observation. Mono-layered cells showed some features of glandular cells and were not clearly identified as so called reserve cells. Superficial part of immature squamous metaplasia consisted of cells with rough endoplasmic reticulum with widely dilated lumen, free ribosome and microvilli with sur-face coating substance. Basal cells showed features of squamous epithelium.
