Table 1. Characteristics of the studies included (1993–2018).
| Study | Intervention | Histology | Study design | Study Period | Country | Monitoring Time | Type of study center | Professional who did the procedure | Outcome | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Cone | Cryotherapy | LEEP | |||||||||
| Chirenje 2001 | - | 200 | 200 | NIC 2-3 | RCT | 1997–1998 | Zimbabwe | 12 months | Screening Center | Gynecologist | Disease recurrence (after 6 months of treatment) and Residual disease (within 6 months of treatment) |
| Mitchell 1998 | - | 139 | 130 | NIC 1-3 | RCT | 1992–1994 | EUA | 24 months | Specialized center | Three gynecologists, two family doctors and two nurse practitioners | Recurrence of illness (after 6 months of treatment), residual illness (within 6 months of treatment), cervical stenosis (requiring dilation), minor bleeding (requiring hospital visit), secondary pain (requiring medication) and infections (requiring antibiotic treatment). |
| Duggan 1999 | 89 | - | 91 | NIC 1-3 | RCT | 1992–1994 | EUA | 12 months | Specialized women's hospital | Gynecology residents, with direct supervision by the researcher | Recurrence of illness (NS), Residual illness (NS), Minor bleeding (up to 6 weeks post-op), Cervical stenosis (NS), Infections (NS). |
| Giacalone 1999 | 38 | - | 28 | NIC 2-3 | RCT | 1997–1998 | France | 3 months | University Hospital | Trained physician | Residual disease (NS), Secondary bleeding (requiring hospital visit), positive margins and cervical stenosis (inability to insert Heger dilator Nº3). |
| Girardi 1994 | 38 | - | 52 | NIC 1-3 | RCT | unspecified | Austria | 10 months | University | Not specified | Recurrence of illness (up to 8 or 10 months), minor bleeding (NS) |
| Mathevet 1994 | 37 | - | 36 | NIC 1-3 | RCT | 1990–1992 | Canada | 6 months | General Hospital | Trained physicians | Residual disease (NS), cervical stenosis (inability to insert a Heger Nº3 dilator), minor bleeding (NS) and positive margins. |
| Mathevet 2003 | 37 | - | 36 | NIC 1-3 | RCT | 1990–1992 | Canada | 65 months | General Hospital | Trained physicians | Residual disease, cervical stenosis, minor bleeding and positive margins. |
| Takac 1999 | 120 | - | 120 | NIC 1-3 | RCT | 1993–1996 | Slovenia | 3 months | Specialized hospital | Not specified | Residual disease (up to 3 months), minor bleeding (NS). |
LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure)
RCT: Randomized clinical trial. CIN: Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
NS: Not Specified