What is cone biopsy

In most hospitals we have spoken to, surgeries are continuing as usual for cervical cancer patients. But your healthcare team may talk to you about:.

A cone biopsy takes about 15 minutes. You are usually able to go home the same day or the day after. A cone biopsy is usually done under general anaesthetic. Cone biopsies are occasionally done under local anaesthetic if a very small area needs to be removed.

Some people feel worried about having a general anaesthetic. If you feel this way, you could speak to your healthcare team and anaesthetist before, to find more about what will happen and talk through any concerns. You can also speak to your healthcare team about which type of anaesthetic you would prefer.

An anaesthetist will give you injections — one to make you fall asleep and one to make your body numb. Once you are asleep, you will be wheeled into the operating room. The anaesthetist will ask you to count to 10 and before you reach 7, you will drift off to sleep. You will wake up in the recovery room, once the surgery is done. Your surgeon will use a speculum plastic tube to open your vagina.

They will then remove a small, cone-shaped piece of tissue from your cervix. It is usually about 1cm wide.

A cone biopsy is normally done with a scalpel. This is known as a surgical knife or cold knife cone biopsy. After your surgeon has removed the tissue, they will place some gauze inside your vagina to stop any bleeding. This is called a vaginal pack and looks a bit like a large tampon or rolled-up bandage. You might also have a thin tube put into your bladder. It might be done through the tube you wee from urethra or a small opening in your lower stomach. The catheter helps to drain your wee.

It can be removed once the vaginal pack is removed. A cone biopsy is done vaginally, like cervical screening and colposcopy. You may be able to go home the same day. You usually need to be in hospital for about 6 hours so the general anaesthetic can wear off. In some cases, you might need to stay in hospital overnight or longer if your healthcare team want to do more checks.

Your healthcare team will usually take the pack out of your vagina, and remove the catheter within 24 hours after your cone biopsy. You may be monitored once the pack is removed, to check there is no heavy bleeding.

You will not be able to drive, so it is important to arrange transport home. This might be a friend or family member, or public transport. Once you are home, it usually takes between 1 to 2 weeks to recover from a cone biopsy, although side effects can last longer. After your cone biopsy, the tissue that was removed will be sent to laboratory.

A specialist called a histopathologist will look at it under a microscope. They will check whether all the cancer cells have been removed. You should get these results within 4 to 8 weeks. You can ask your healthcare team exactly how long you will have to wait. If there are no cancer cells, you will be invited for a follow-up appointment at the hospital in 6 months. At this appointment, you will have cervical screening a smear test.

This tests for high-risk human papillomavirus HPV that causes almost all cervical cancer. If your result is clear, you will be invited back for a follow-up appointment every year for 10 years. You will continue to have cervical screening at these appointments. If there are still cancer cells in your body, you will probably need more tests and treatment. Your healthcare team can explain what this process might look like for you. You may have some side effects after having a cone biopsy. Your healthcare team will explain potential side effects to you in more detail.

Cone biopsy removes a small part of your cervix, so it may take time to feel better before it heals. While it is healing, it can cause pain. This pain varies from person to person — sometimes it is described as a cramping pain, like a period. It can last between 2 days to up to 4 weeks, although you may experience pain for longer. If you are in a lot of pain or find it is affecting your day-to-day life, talk to your healthcare team. They can advise on pain medication, offer reassurance based on your medical history and, if needed, will be able to check you are healing properly.

You will usually have some bleeding after a cone biopsy. The bleeding is usually like a period, but may be slightly heavier than your normal period. It can last between 2 days to up to 4 weeks after the surgery, although you may bleed for longer. About 10 days after a cone biopsy, the bleeding may get heavier. This is expected and is a sign that you are healing. Side effects.

Long-term side effects. What the results mean. What happens if the results are abnormal. Your doctor may recommend more tests, procedures, follow-up care or treatment. References Cone biopsy conization for abnormal cervical cell changes. British Columbia Ministry of Health. HealthLink BC. Cancer Research UK. Wolters Kluwer; Cervix uteri. Principles and Practice of Gynecologic Oncology. Philadelphia: - Handbook for Principles and Practice of Gynecologic Oncology.

Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Cone biopsy. Our enewsletter. You usually have it under general anaesthetic, which means you are asleep.

The operation takes about 15 minutes. You will probably stay in hospital overnight. It's also a treatment for abnormal cervical cells that have been picked up through cervical screening. The abnormal cells might be on the outer surface of the cervix, or the inner part of the cervix the cervical canal. If left untreated, abnormal cervical cells might develop into cervical cancer. You usually stop eating at least 6 hours before the procedure. You can usually drink water up to 2 hours beforehand.

Your appointment letter will give you instructions about this. During the operation, your doctor puts a speculum into your vagina so that they can see the cervix.

This is similar to when you have cervical screening or a colposcopy. Your doctor removes a cone shaped wedge of tissue from your cervix. They send the piece of tissue to the laboratory where a pathologist looks at it closely under a microscope. They can check that all the abnormal cells have been taken away, or can check for cancer cells. Your doctor might pack your vagina with some gauze. This is to put pressure on your cervix to help stop any bleeding.

They may also put a tube into your bladder catheter to drain urine while the pack is in place. After the operation, you go back to the ward. Your nurse checks your blood pressure, pulse and temperature, and looks for signs of bleeding. You will probably have period type pain when you wake up. Tell your nurse if you have any pain. They can give you some painkillers. You can take painkillers home with you if you need to, but the pain usually only lasts a couple of hours. Your nurse or doctor will take the gauze pack out before you leave hospital.

You need to rest on the bed for a couple of hours afterwards to make sure there isn't any heavy bleeding. It is normal to have some bleeding for up to 6 weeks after a cone biopsy.