Patient's question:
Detailed medical condition and consultation purpose: A polyp the size of a bean was found at the cervix during a physical examination. How should it be treated? Is there a high possibility of it being malignant?Doctor's answer:
When cervical polyps are discovered, they should be surgically removed immediately. The removal of cervical polyps is relatively simple. After disinfecting the vagina and cervix with povidone-iodine, use a hemostatic clamp to grasp the base of the polyp stalk and rotate it off. The procedure is painless. After the surgery, the wound is treated with semustine powder, and gauze balls are used to compress it for anti-inflammatory and hemostatic purposes. For larger polyps with thicker stalks, the stump can be cauterized after removal to stop bleeding. Polyps of any size that are removed should undergo pathological examination because cervical polyps have a 0.2% to 0.4% risk of malignancy. Although the risk is low, it should not be overlooked due to negligence. Additionally, even after the polyp is removed, the inflammation in the cervix may not be completely eliminated, so the polyp may recur. Patients need to undergo regular follow-up examinations.Cervical polyps are also formed due to the stimulation of chronic inflammation, with localized proliferation of the cervical canal mucosa gradually protruding outward. If cervical polyps are left untreated, they can gradually grow, obstruct the cervical opening, leading to infertility, or cause postcoital bleeding or bloody leukorrhea. More importantly, cervical polyps have the potential to become malignant. Therefore, once cervical polyps are discovered, they should be removed immediately.
The removal of cervical polyps is relatively simple and can generally be completed in an outpatient operating room. The risk of malignancy in cervical polyps is low, approximately 0.2% to 0.4%. After removal, all polyps should be sent for pathological examination to prevent missed diagnoses.