Hi my daughter was sent to the hospital a couple of weeks ago for a biopsy as she had an abnormal smear, when she went they started to do it but stopped and said it was to bad that she would have to have a general anaeshetic to have it done, she was then told she would be having a Loop procedure done, she went in today and they said they had lasered half down her cervix as thats where it was she is to ring back in 2 weeks for results and go back in 6 month for another smear test, could anyone please tell me why one minute she is supposed to only be having a biopsy and next she has had laser treatment hence the question is your leep the same as our loop I am very confused as to what they have done to my daughter please can anyone help me with this question. Thankyou.

I'm a little confused about your post, but, I had to reply to you, hopefully bringing nothing but comfort.

A loop to my knowlegde is an instrument. Leep, is, to my understanding the use of electic "current". I think. Laser, is a whole different procedure. Either way, whatever the "procedure" was, the point i'd like to state is that if she has been routinely gone for her annual pap smear. Don't worry at all!

You're right to be confused as it seem from one to another, the "terminology" is for sure, confusing as so the different procedures and as to why one gets this treament over another one, from one doc to the next,,,,it seems to be all so different. BUT, as long as treatment has been "done", as long as she goes in 6 months for her follow up, things will be ok.

Sorry I couln't be more of help.

Hi my daughter was sent to the hospital a couple of weeks ago for a biopsy as she had an abnormal smear, when she went they started to do it but stopped and said it was to bad that she would have to have a general anaeshetic to have it done, she was then told she would be having a Loop procedure done, she went in today and they said they had lasered half down her cervix as thats where it was she is to ring back in 2 weeks for results and go back in 6 month for another smear test, could anyone please tell me why one minute she is supposed to only be having a biopsy and next she has had laser treatment hence the question is your leep the same as our loop I am very confused as to what they have done to my daughter please can anyone help me with this question. Thankyou.


Hey Maltesa, I hope that I can help you out a bit. I actually just had the leep procedure done. Leep and Loop are the same thing. Well, at least the same procedure. I am confused as to why your daughter was sent to the hospital. That doesn't make sense. What happened to me was that I was told that I had an abnormal pap. I had to have a colposcopy. During the colposcopy, the doctor saw some abnormal cells, so she took a sample. The best I can explain it is they basically use a hole punch to take a sample. About a week later, I got a call back saying that it was more severe then they thought so I was going to have to have this Leep thing. Naturally, I panicked. After researching I read that it wasn't that bad and that it was done under local anestesia. I didn't have a good experience with this procedure. I hope your daughter did. Your main concern should be why your daughter was not properly informed. It seems to me that the doctor did not give her all the information that he or she should have. I would first try talking to your daughter and see if maybe she has some more info that maybe she has left out. I know that for me it was hard to talk about with my mom(I am only 21). She may be able to explain it more. I hope everything works out.

Sometimes docs will do a "see and treat" thing, they see the lesion and feel very confident of not needing a biopsy, so go ahead and perform the LEEP. It's not that common for the see and treat to happen anymore, just from what I've read about cervical biopsies, treatments, etc; however, I would assume this is what happened with your daughter. I hope they were able to get it all with the LEEP and that her follow up paps are clear from now on.

Hi Maltesa

I can help you with this one. You are based in the UK right? So am I and had a loop carried out at Hospital in April.

In England the procedure is called a loop and in the US, it is called a LEEP. In England, if you have an abnormal smear test, it is perfectly normal to be sent to the Hospital to have the colposcopy carried out and if they think it is necessary, they will do the laser treatment or loop at the same time. You then go back in 6 months time to have another smear test carried out at the Hospital and as long as all is well, she will be discharged and referred back to her own GP for 6 monthly or yearly smears.

Hope this helps.

Victoria