General

Synonym/Acronym:
Cone biopsy, LEEP.

Rationale
To assist in diagnosing and staging cervical cancer.

Patient Preparation
There are no activity restrictions unless by medical direction. Instruct the patient that to reduce the risk of aspiration related to nausea and vomiting, solid food and milk or milk products are restricted for at least 6 hr, and clear liquids are restricted for at least 2 hr prior to general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, or sedation/analgesia (monitored anesthesia). The patient may be required to be NPO after midnight. The American Society of Anesthesiologists has fasting guidelines for risk levels according to patient status. More information can be located at www.asahq.org.

Regarding the patient’s risk for bleeding, the patient should be instructed to avoid taking natural products and medications with known anticoagulant, antiplatelet, or thrombolytic properties or to reduce dosage, as ordered, prior to the procedure. Note the last time and dose of medication taken. Number of days to withhold medication is dependent on the type of anticoagulant. Protocols may vary among facilities.

Normal Findings
(Method: Microscopic examination of tissue cells) No abnormal cells or tissue.

Critical Findings and Potential Interventions

• Assessment of clear margins after tissue excision
• Classification or grading of tumor
• Identification of malignancy

Timely notification to the requesting health-care provider (HCP) of any critical findings and related symptoms is a role expectation of the professional nurse. A listing of these findings varies among facilities.