Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a kaolin-impregnated gauze in
preventing postoperative bleeding after a loop electrosurgical excision procedure
(LEEP). Methods: The medical records of 1322 women who
underwent a LEEP at a university hospital were retrospectively reviewed, of which
1006 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the final
analysis. During the study period, the bleeding in patients undergoing a LEEP was
managed with the application of a kaolin-impregnated gauze (treatment group, n =
539) or without application of a kaolin-impregnated gauze (control group, n =
467). The primary outcome measure was the incidence of postoperative bleeding
requiring hemostatic intervention after a LEEP. A logistic regression model was
used to identify the clinical variables for postoperative bleeding.
Results: The baseline characteristics were similar between the two study
groups. Postoperative vaginal bleeding necessitating an intervention was observed
in 12.8% of the study population (129 of 1006 women), with a significant
difference between the two groups (9.3% in the treatment group vs. 16.9% in the
control group; p
