LEEP
LEEP
LEEP stands for loop electrosurgical excision procedure. It is used to treat dysplasia (abnormal cell growth). A fine wire loop is used to remove a small amount of tissue from your cervix. This can be done in the healthcare provider’s office. You can go back to your routine the same day. Schedule your LEEP for a time when you are not menstruating.
During the procedure
You’ll place your feet in stirrups. Your healthcare provider then inserts a speculum into your vagina. The speculum holds the walls of the vagina open to let the health care provider see the cervix:
Your cervix is numbed with a local anesthetic.
A mild vinegar or iodine solution may be applied to your cervix. This helps to highlight any dysplasia.
Your healthcare provider may look through a colposcope. This helps him or her to get a close-up view of your cervix.
The loop is inserted through your vagina and moved toward the cervix.
The loop is used to remove a small piece of cervical tissue.
A medicated solution may be applied to the cervix. This helps reduce bleeding.
After the procedure
You may have a watery, pink discharge and mild cramping following the procedure. Also, the solution used to decrease bleeding may cause a dark, vaginal discharge for a few days. Do not place anything in your vagina or have intercourse until your healthcare provider tells you it is OK. Your cervix should heal completely within a few weeks.
When to call your healthcare provider
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following:
Heavy bleeding or bleeding with clots
Severe belly pain
Fever
Updated:  
March 30, 2018
Sources:  
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia: Procedures for Cervical Conization. UpToDate, Sisk J. The Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health. 2013;3:828-31.
Reviewed By:  
Freeborn, Donna, PhD, CNM, FNP,Sacks, Daniel, MD, FACOG