Editing Loop electrical excision procedure (section)

==Process==
When performing a LEEP, the [[physician]] uses a wire loop through which an [[electric current]] is passed at variable [[Power (physics)|power]] settings. Various shapes and sizes of loop can be used depending on the size and orientation of the lesion.  The [[cervix|cervical]] transformation zone and [[lesion]] are excised to an adequate depth, which in most cases is at least 8&nbsp;mm, and extending 4 to 5&nbsp;mm beyond the lesion. A second pass with a more narrow loop can also be done to obtain an [[endocervical]] specimen for further [[histology|histologic]] evaluation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/surgery/a/leepprocedure.htm|title= LEEP Procedure — What is LEEP? — Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure|access-date=2007-12-28 |first=Tracee |last= Cornforth|publisher=About.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070502071454/http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/surgery/a/leepprocedure.htm|archive-date=2007-05-02}}</ref>

The LEEP technique results in some thermal artifact in all specimens obtained due to the use of electricity which simultaneously cuts and cauterizes the lesion, but this does not generally interfere with [[pathology|pathological]] interpretation provided depth is not exceeded.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Khunamornpong |first1=S. |last2=Raungrongmorakot |first2=K. |last3=Siriaunkgul |first3=S. |date=April 2001 |title=Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital: problems in pathologic evaluation |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11460961/ |journal=Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet Thangphaet |volume=84 |issue=4 |pages=507–514 |issn=0125-2208 |pmid=11460961}}</ref> The thermal artifact can be a function of depth and time.