Efficacy and Acceptability of Thermal Ablation in Patients with Positive Documented Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (Do-VIA) Results.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of thermal ablation (TA) as a treatment modality in patients with positive Documented Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (Do-VIA) results, in a low-resource clinical setting.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the VIA clinic of Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital (RSCM), Jakarta, Indonesia, from January to July 2024. Patients with positive VIA-DoVIA results were treated with thermal ablation therapy (also known as cold coagulation) and followed up for three months to assess clinical outcomes and acceptability.

Results: Out of 99 patients who underwent VIA screening, 47 tested positive. Of these, 35 received thermal ablation therapy. Three months post-treatment, 25 patients tested negative on VIA, while only 3 patients remained VIA-positive. Patient-reported side effects included clear vaginal discharge (52%), vaginal discharge with blood spots (3%), itchy discharge (38%), and short-term vaginal spotting (7%). No severe adverse events were reported.

Conclusion: Thermal ablation therapy appears to be an effective and well-tolerated alternative to cryotherapy for the treatment of cervical precancerous lesions. It demonstrates good efficacy, minimal side effects, and high acceptability among healthcare providers in low-resource settings.