What are cervical polyps? What are the dangers of cervical polyps?

In life, in addition to knowing some common sense, we also need to know some pathological knowledge. As people's living standards improve, various diseases are also increasing. So what are cervical polyps? What are the dangers?

What are cervical polyps?

Cervical polyps, also known as cervical polyps, are a clinical manifestation of chronic cervicitis, a common gynecological disease. Its cause is generally believed to be the long-term stimulation of chronic inflammation, which promotes excessive proliferation of cervical mucosa and local proliferation of cervical mucosal tissue. Because the uterus itself has a tendency to reject, the proliferating mucosa gradually protrudes from the base to the external os of the cervix to form polyps.

What are the clinical manifestations of cervical polyps?

Larger polyps may show certain clinical symptoms, such as bloody leucorrhea or contact bleeding, especially a small amount of bleeding during sexual intercourse or after straining during bowel movements. These symptoms are very similar to those of early cervical cancer and should be detected and treated promptly; however, smaller polyps may not have any symptoms and are easily ignored because more than one-third of patients lack obvious symptoms and are usually discovered during gynecological examinations.

How to check for cervical polyps?

1. Microscopic examination:

Endometrial polyps are composed of the endometrium, covered with a layer of cuboidal epithelium or low columnar epithelium. The middle part of the polyp forms a fibrous longitudinal axis, which contains blood vessels. Because of the narrow pedicle and reduced blood supply, polyps are very prone to degeneration. Polyps are most prone to intravascular thrombosis, turning dark purple due to blood stasis, and often begin to necrotize at the top, eventually rotting and falling off.

2. Papanicolaou staining:

Cervical Pap grading is a simple and effective way to detect cervical cancer early. It is to fix and stain the cervical epithelial cells and observe them under a microscope. They are usually divided into five levels: Grade I cells are normal; Grade II has inflammatory signs; Grade III has suspected malignant cells; Grade IV has cancer cells to be confirmed; Grade V has cancer cells and has a high accuracy rate.

3. Gynecological examination:

In acute inflammation, the cervix may become congested and edematous, or eroded, with purulent secretions discharged from the cervical canal. There may be pain when touching the cervix. Chronic cervicitis may show varying degrees of erosion, hypertrophy, polyps, glandular cysts, and ectropion of the cervix, or purulent secretions at the cervical opening and a hard cervix upon palpation. If there is cervical erosion or polyps, there will be contact bleeding.

4. Cervical biopsy:

For patients with more severe symptoms, a cervical biopsy can be performed to confirm the diagnosis. The pathological diagnostic criterion for malignant transformation of polyps is to see the entire morphology of the polyps. Malignant transformation is confined to the polyp. The lining around the polyp is not cancerous.

What are the dangers of uterine polyps?

1. Affects sexual life

If cervical polyps are not treated, they will gradually grow larger and block the cervical opening, causing bleeding during sexual intercourse or bloody leucorrhea;

2. Affects pregnancy

If cervical polyps block the cervical opening, it will cause cervical stenosis or cervical canal deformation, thereby preventing sperm from moving normally upward and affecting pregnancy;

3. Cause other gynecological diseases

For patients who do not receive treatment for a long time, cervical polyps may also cause other gynecological diseases due to long-term inflammatory stimulation, such as cervical erosion, cervical hypertrophy, etc.