F. Buntinx et al., COMPOSITION OF CERVICAL SMEARS IN PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT A CERVICAL ECTROPION, Journal of Clinical Pathology, 48(5), 1995, pp. 408-409
Aims-To test the hypothesis that absence of squamous cells in cervical
smears obtained by an endocervical sampling technique is more promine
nt in patients with a cervical ectropion. Methods-Prospective study ex
ploring the relation between the composition of cervical smears obtain
ed using an endocervical cotton swab in patients with (n=188) and with
out (n=341) a cervical ectropion. Subjects were 529 consecutive patien
ts from whom a cervical smear was prepared at a university gynaecologi
cal clinic. Results-In 7% of the endocervical samples no squamous cell
s were found. There was no correlation, however, between the presence
or the size of an ectropion and the absence of squamous cells in those
samples. Conclusions-It was confirmed that endocervical sampling alon
e is insufficient to obtain good quality cervical smears. The presence
of an ectropion proved to be an unreliable predictor of the absence o
f squamous cells.