What is LEEP?
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The term LEEP stands for Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure . It is a minor operation where a small piece of abnormal tissue (biopsy) is removed from the cervix for examination.
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The procedure is performed under a light General Anaesthetic or Local Anaesthetic in the Day Surgery Unit, which is on the 3rd floor of the hospital. If it is performed under local anaesthetic, the anaesthetic will be injected into the cervix. This will anaesthetise the area and help to control any bleeding. An instrument resembling a wire loop will be used to remove the abnormal piece of tissue from the cervix.
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How to prepare for surgery
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Information for surgery, such as admission time, will be forwarded to you by the booking office when we have a date for you. Please confirm your admission date with the booking office once you recieve this letter.
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If you are to have a general anaesthetic you will be required to attend our preadmission clinic prior to your surgery. This will enable us to complete the necessary paper work and for you to sign the Consent for Operation form. You will also have to refrain from eating and drinking for six hours prior to admission on the day of your surgery. You can expect to be in hospital for about five hours and should arrange to have someone drive you home following the anaesthetic.
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What happens afterwards?
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The tissue biopsy is sent to the pathology laboratory where it will be examined under a microscope. We will inform you of the results.
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If you have had a General Anaesthetic, you will be asked to rest in our recovery area for one to two hours. Some light refreshments will be offered to you. If you have had a local anaesthetic, you will not be required to wait. Following this procedure you are advised not to use tampons or have sexual intercourse for three to four weeks to enable the cervix to heal. You may experience a discharge or light bleeding for up to four weeks following the procedure.
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If you would like further information, please telephone the Dysplasia Unit on (03) 8345 2000. If the nurse is unavailable, please leave a message stating your name and telephone number.
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Disclaimer
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The Royal Women’s Hospital does not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or use of such information or advice) which is provided in this fact sheet or incorporated into it by reference. We provide this information on the understanding that all persons accessing it take responsibility for assessing its relevance and accuracy. Women are encouraged to discuss their health needs with a health practitioner. If you have concerns about your health, you should seek advice from your health care provider or if you require urgent care you should go to the nearest Emergency Dept.
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 This fact sheet is also available for download as pdfs in: Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Serbian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Vietnamese
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Last updated April 2009
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