Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure

The loop electrosurgical excision procedure, abbreviated LEEP, is one of the most commonly used approaches to treat high grade cervical dysplasia and early stage cervical cancer discovered on colposcopic examination, known in the United Kingdom as large loop excision of the transformation zone. Considered a type of conization, it has been in use since the 1970s following its invention by Dr. Sheldon Weinstein. The procedure has a low cost and a high success rate, can be performed in an office setting, and usually requires only a local anesthetic, though its disadvantages include reports of decreased sexual satisfaction and a potential for preterm labor in a later pregnancy; approximately 500,000 LEEP procedures are performed in the United States each year.