A comparison of complications of laser and cold knife conization.

A comparison was made of intraoperative and postoperative complications of laser conization and cold knife conization. Of 428 women hospitalized for cold knife conization, 23.6% had one or more complications; 14.3% had postoperative hemorrhages, 6.8% had infections, and 4.7% suffered from stenosis. Two hundred sixteen women were hospitalized for laser conization; 5.1% of them suffered complications. Postoperative hemorrhages occurred in 2.8% and infections in 2.3%. No case of stenosis occurred. Laser conization as an outpatient procedure was undertaken in 240 women; 4.2% had complications. Postoperative hemorrhages occurred in only 2.5%, infections in 1.3%, and stenosis in 0.8%. Laser conization has the same complication rate as laser vaporization and can be safely performed on an outpatient basis, thereby reducing hospital costs.