Use of cryotherapy for prevention of CIN | 1a | The expert panel recommends cryotherapy over no treatment | ⊕○○○ | Strong |
1b. | In settings where LEEP is available and accessible, the expert panel suggests treatment with LEEP over cryotherapy | ⊕⊕○○ | Conditional |
Lesion size | 2. | Among women with CIN lesions covering more than 75% of the ectocervix, or with lesions extending beyond the cryo tip being used, the expert panel suggests performing or referring for excisional therapy | ⊕⊕○○ | Conditional |
Lesions extending into the endocervical canal | 3a. | In settings where LEEP is available and accessible, and women present with CIN lesions extending into the cervical canal, the expert panel suggests treatment with LEEP over cryotherapy | ⊕⊕○○ | Conditional |
3b. | In settings where excisional procedures (e.g. LEEP, laser or CKC) or referral to additional treatment are not available, the expert panel suggests that women with lesions extending into the endocervical canal be treated with cryotherapy | ⊕○○○ | Conditional |
Cryotherapy technique and procedure | 4. | The expert panel suggests double freeze using a 3 minute freeze, 5 minute thaw, 3 minute freeze cycle over single-freeze cryotherapy | ⊕⊕○○ | Conditional |
5. | The expert panel recommends cryotherapy using either carbon dioxide (CO2) or nitrous oxide (N2O) gas | ⊕⊕○○ | Strong |
In settings where both gases are available, the expert panel suggests cryotherapy with CO2 rather than with N2O | ⊕○○○ | Conditional |
6. | The expert panel recommends that the “cough technique” should not be used during cryotherapy | ⊕○○○ | Strong |
7. | The expert panel suggests that prophylactic antibiotics should not be used when providing cryotherapy | ⊕○○○ | Conditional |
Providers | 8. | The expert panel recommends that health-care workers (including non-physicians) trained in cryotherapy perform the procedure for women when it is indicated | ⊕⊕○○ | Strong |
The expert panel also suggests that trained nurses or trained midwives rather than physicians may perform cryotherapy | ⊕○○○ | Conditional |
Use of cryotherapy during pregnancy | 9a. | In pregnant women, the expert panel suggests deferring cryotherapy until after pregnancy | ⊕○○○ | Conditional |
9b. | In women whose pregnancy status is unknown (or there is no clinical evidence of pregnancy), the expert panel suggests using cryotherapy | ⊕○○○ | Conditional |
Retreatment of CIN lesions with cryotherapy | 10a. | The expert panel recommends cryotherapy over no treatment for women who screen positive after prior cryotherapy treatment | ⊕○○○ | Strong |
10b. | In settings where LEEP is available and accessible, the expert panel suggests treatment with LEEP over cryotherapy for women who screen positive after prior cryotherapy treatment | ⊕⊕○○ | Conditional |