Author(s)

Kays Muruka, Mugo R. Nelly, Wanyoike Gichuhi, Kihara Anne-Beatrice, Cheserem J. Eunice, Kosgei J. Rose

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Kenyatta National Hospital, Department of Research and Special Programs, Nairobi, Kenya.
Ministry of Medical Services, Kabarnet District Hospital, Baringo, Kenya.

Background: Screening for cancer of the cervix at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), follows the recommended three-step strategy; Papanicolaou (Pap) smear, colposcopy/biopsy and loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP)/biopsy. This approach poses the following challenges: multiple clinic visits, costly, time consuming, long turnaround time to treatment, non-compliance and loss-to-follow-up. Objective: To determine the agreement between histologies following colposcopy and LEEP amongst women in KNH as a forerunner for opportunity to shift from the three-step approach to the two-step “see and treat” (same-day colposcopy and LEEP) approach. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive cohort of Women who underwent LEEP procedure between January 2008 and 31st December 2010 following the three-step approach at KNH, Kenya. Results: A total of 124 patients out of the 132 patients who underwent LEEP were included in the analysis. The 8 patients excluded had missing files. HIV infected, uninfected or unknown women are similar socio-demographically. The mean (SD) age for the HIV infected, uninfected and unknown is 37 (6), 33 (10) and 35 (9) years respectively. Colposcopic and LEEP biopsy histology within patients demonstrated a high weighted kappa statistics agreement of 84%. LEEP increased diagnosis of invasive cancer. Patients had a median (IQR) 5 (4 - 6) clinic visits from Pap smear to LEEP treatment. It took median (IQR) 55 (27 - 116) days between Pap smear to colposcopy result and 167 (101 - 276) days between Pap smear results to LEEP treatment. If a LEEP procedure were to be performed in this cohort of women on the same day of the colposcopy biopsy a median (IQR) 77 (55 - 137) days could have been saved. Conclusion: There is a high agreement between colposcopy and LEEP biopsies in our setting offering a window of opportunity to perform “See and Treat” same-day colposcopy and LEEP treatment procedure, skipping the colposcopy biopsy stage.

Colposcopy; Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP); CIN; Cervical Cancer Screening

Muruka, K. , Nelly, M. , Gichuhi, W. , Anne-Beatrice, K. , Eunice, C. and Rose, K. (2013) Same day colposcopic examination and loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) presents minimal overtreatment and averts delay in treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 3, 313-318. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2013.33058.