Audit of cervical excision depth of large loop excision of the transformation zone procedures at Counties Manukau District Health Board.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in females worldwide. Large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) procedures remain the preferred surgical technique to remove squamous cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions globally. This study aimed to assess whether the depth of LLETZ procedures at Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB) met established standards of care. METHODS: Hospital records were reviewed for all LLETZ procedures performed at CMDHB between 1 June 2020 to 3 May 2021, and these were compared to Public Health England's (PHE) 2020 Colposcopy Guidelines. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-four cases were identified. Forty-eight percent of all LLETZ procedures were the correct excision depth relative to PHE's ≥95% threshold, primarily due to excisions being too shallow, particularly in patients with type 2 and 3 transformation zones (TZ), 48% and 86%, respectively. Maori and Pasifika patients represented only 16% and 13% of all LLETZ procedures in this study, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified significant oversampling of LLETZ excisions in patients with type 1 TZs, and significant under-sampling in patients with types 2 and 3 TZs. Ultimately, these findings highlight the need for additional quality improvement processes and emphasise the importance of auditing LLETZ procedures nationwide.