Cervical Polypectomy

Cervical Polypectomy

We hope that this information leaflet will help you to
understand your care options. We hope that you will feel
comfortable to ask questions of your health professional so
that you can work together to make a plan that meets your
needs and priorities.

Remember you can always ask the healthcare professional
to explain things differently, explain things again, or to write
down information for you.

Cervical Polyps
A cervical polyp is a small piece of tissue that grows on the cervix (neck of the womb)
or inside the cervical canal (space leading to womb). Some polyps are on a stalk, sitting
away from the cervix and some sit directly on the cervix. Polyps are usually benign (not
cancer). Less than one person in one hundred people (less than 1%) will have signs of
pre-cancer or cancer.

Cervical polyps are sometimes found during smear tests. They often have no symptoms.
Sometimes people notice bleeding after sexual intercourse, between periods or after
menopause. Some people notice more vaginal discharge.

Cervical Examination
To tell whether or not you have a polyp, a speculum is placed in to your vagina so that
the doctor can look at your cervix (similar to a smear test). If the doctor can see the
whole polyp, they will discuss a polypectomy (removing the polyp) with you.

If the doctor thinks the polyp may be coming from your womb and not your cervix, they
may ask to carry out a Hysteroscopy (a procedure where a small camera is placed in to
the neck of the womb). This makes sure that the whole polyp is removed. This will be
carried out at a separate appointment if it is needed.

If there is no polyp and no other signs or symptoms that you or the doctor are concerned
about then you may be discharged.

How is a Cervical Polypectomy done?
If the doctor finds a cervical polyp, they will explain the process for removing it and ask
if you are happy to go ahead.
This involves:

• Undressing from the waist down and lying on the couch.
• Placing a speculum into the vagina (similar to a smear test).
• Polyp forceps are then guided to the cervix and used to remove the polyp.
• The speculum and forceps will then be removed.
• Removing the polyp will take less than 1 minute.
• This polyp is sent to the laboratory to see if there are any abnormal signs.

The procedure is not very painful. Some women may have mild cramping. If you are not
allergic to painkillers, we recommend taking paracetamol or ibuprofen before your
appointment. Please follow the advice on the packaging.

What are the benefits?

• To stop or reduce bleeding (if bleeding was happening).
• To stop the polyp from growing larger.
• Potentially needing smear tests less often.

What are the risks?
Polypectomies are safe and you are unlikely to have any problems.
The rare risks are:

• Bleeding when the polyp is removed. Any bleeding can usually be stopped with
  silver nitrate, but sometimes a stitch is needed to stop bleeding. This is done with
  local anaesthetic and so is not painful.
• Infection of the cervix or womb.
• If the polyp cannot be removed the doctor will talk to you about a procedure called
  a Colposcopy (a procedure to remove larger or more strongly attached polyps).

There is a risk that your procedure will be cancelled if there is a chance of very early
pregnancy. In order to be sure you are not pregnant at the time of the procedure you
must not have sex or you must use reliable contraception between the first day of the
last NORMAL period to the date of procedure.
If you are pregnant, you should wait until at least 6 weeks after pregnancy to have any
polyps removed.

Are there any alternatives?

• If you do not wish to have the polyp removed, you can choose to have the polyp’s
  growth checked with regular cervical examinations (as above). But, polyps do not
  go away on their own.
• In some cases, the procedure can be carried out under general anaesthetic (where
  you are asleep). This is only usually done if the examination is too uncomfortable
  for you, or if your polyp is very large, strongly attached, or inside the womb itself.

Consent
If you are happy to go ahead with your procedure, a doctor or nurse will ask you to sign
a consent form. If you have any questions, please ask a member of staff looking after
you.

How can I prepare?
Eat, drink and take any medications as you normally would.

What happens after the procedure?
You should be able to travel home on your own and carry out all your normal daily
activities. You may prefer to have someone with you and may wish to keep the rest of
your day free.

Bring a sanitary towel with you to wear after the appointment as you may have
discharge. This discharge may be dark brown/black in the first few days, but some
discharge may continue for one to two weeks. Avoid using tampons, vigorous exercise,
swimming and sexual intercourse for one week.

We will write to you within 6-8 weeks with the laboratory test results and let you know
what will happen next. Most people will not need another appointment.

Having read the above information, it might be helpful to think about the
following…

• What do I want to ask my healthcare professional?
• What is worrying me about this procedure right now?
• What else is important in my life right now?
• Who is able to support me?
• Would I like someone to come with me to my appointment if possible? There
  may be restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

You can fill out the following table with your healthcare professional. This will help
you to think about which option is best for you, given your individual situation. Doing
nothing is also an option.

You might also want to ask…

• Are there any activities that I need to avoid after the procedure?
• Is there anything that I can do to help myself?
• Where can I go to get more information?

Remember you can always ask the healthcare professional to explain things
differently, explain things again, or to write down information for you.

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you
and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a
member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to
answer your questions and reassure you.

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well
and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your
experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are
available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We
value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with
us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the
nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed
to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is
unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal
help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf,
if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to
outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate
your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can
advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: wah-tr.PALS@nhs.net

Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please
be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your
call within one working day

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.

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