Obstetrics and Gynecology - A.M. Gromova 2000

Background and precancerous conditions of the female genital organs
Diagnosis of background and precancerous conditions of the female genital organs
Cervical biopsy

Biopsy refers to the excision and microscopic examination of a tissue sample for diagnostic purposes. There are several types of biopsy. Simple (non-targeted) biopsy can be single (material is sampled from the ectocervical surface under visual control) or multiple (tissue is taken from four quadrants of the cervix corresponding to the 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock positions). Targeted biopsy involves obtaining material from the most suspicious area of the cervix following expanded colposcopy, specifically at the border between healthy and altered tissue.

Procedure

Following disinfection of the external genitalia and Vagina, the cervix is exposed using Sims' specula. Bullet forceps are applied to both sides of the cervical area designated for excision. A surgical scalpel is considered the most ideal instrument for tissue retrieval. Conchotomes are used less frequently because the retrieved sample is often fragmented, disrupting the tissue architecture. After removing the tissue specimen along with a margin of healthy tissue, the sample is placed in a jar, filled with a 10% neutral formalin solution, and sent to the laboratory for analysis. If necessary, a catgut suture is applied to the wound.

In recent years, cone diathermy excision and excision using a CO2 laser have also been employed to obtain biopsy specimens.



Last update: 08/08/2026

Editorial and Educational Adaptation: This material has been compiled based on the primary/original source text. The project team performed an editorial review, corrected technical inaccuracies, structured sections, and adapted the content for an educational format.

What was processed:

  • elimination of formatting defects (OCR errors, structural breaks, corrupted characters);
  • editorial organization of content;
  • standardization of terminology in accordance with academic sources;
  • verification of factual statements against the original source text.

All mentions of the author, publication year, and origin of the primary text have been preserved in accordance with the source.