Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) can remove abnormal cells from the cervix by using a thin wire loop, with an electric current passed through it, to cut away a thin layer of the cervix. This minor surgery is often used to diagnose and/or treat pre-cancerous cells of the cervix. The procedure takes only a few minutes in our office. Your provider will insert a speculum in your vagina, like during a pelvic exam, and give a local anesthesia (a shot through a small needle) before removing any cells.