One of the pathologies of the cervix is ​​hyperkeratosis (another name is leukoplakia) - excessive cornification of the cervical epithelium. It is a precancerous condition, therefore, in the case of diagnosis it requires more thorough diagnosis and immediate treatment.
Hyperkeratosis of the cervix in gynecology
This type of disease occurs most often in women after 40 years due to physiological changes and the influence of various factors on the formation of a pathological environment in the body of a woman. Hyperkeratosis in gynecology is one of the leading places in the frequency of occurrence among women not only older. Recently, there has been a tendency to rejuvenate the disease.
Hyperkeratosis of the flat epithelium of the cervix: causes
Modern gynecologists distinguish the following causes of leukoplakia in women:
- cervical cancer ;
- endocrine disorders;
- failure in the immune system;
- presence of infectious diseases ( chlamydia , human papilloma virus);
- chronic trauma.
However, a direct relationship with specific factors that can cause the development of hyperkeratosis has not been fully proven.
Hyperkeratosis of the cervix: symptoms
Externally, hyperkeratosis does not manifest itself in any way and at times a woman may not know for a long time about the disease that exists before her visit to a doctor who, at the first examination, can observe the presence of white plaques on the ectocervix. If a woman lacks pronounced signs of hyperkeratosis, then colposcopy is required, according to which the gynecologist can give an opinion about the woman's condition. However, a single study on cytology can be uninformative, since the biomaterial for research is taken only from the surface of the skin and does not affect the deep basal layers, where a pathological process is observed. A cervical biopsy together with a smear test for histology will make it possible to display the clinical picture of the disease most fully.
Hyperkeratosis of the cervix: how to treat?
If a woman after a thorough examination is diagnosed with "cervical hyperkeratosis", then the treatment is prescribed depending on the depth of damage to the epithelium of the cervix and the area. Most often, the treatment is performed surgically, after which a favorable prognosis is noted in most cases.
If the optimal method of treatment is chosen, the following factors are also taken into account:
- the age of the patient;
- its reproductive function (whether childbirth was earlier, or the woman yet did not give birth).
Young women are prescribed more gentle methods in order to avoid the formation of scars on the surface of the cervix:
- radiosurgical treatment;
- laser vaporization;
- cryodestruction.
Quite often, nulliparous women are cauterized with solvokaginom, which also helps to avoid scarring.
In particularly severe form or realization of the woman of her reproductive function, operational methods are more often used.
With hyperkeratosis of the cervix,
It should be remembered that a gynecologist should be visited every six months, since most gynecological diseases, including hyperkeratosis of the cervix, can pass asymptomatically and develop into a stronger stage, when surgical intervention is required. However, timely treatment started, competent complex therapy will avoid complications in the future and completely cure of the cervical hyperkeratosis, thereby preventing its transition to oncology.