HISTOPATHOLOGIC ADEQUACY OF OFFICE ENDOMETRIAL BIOPSIES TAKEN WITH THE Z-SAMPLER AND NOVAK CURETTE IN PREMENOPAUSAL AND POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

This study compared the adequacy of office endometrial biopsies taken with the Novak curette and a disposable, flexible polypropylene biopsy device, the Z-sampler, in premenopausal and postmenopuasal women. Bet ween September 1988 and November 1991, 407 women had paired office end ometrial biopsies with the Z-sampler followed by the Novak curette. Ov erall, 83.0% of endometrial biopsies obtained with the Z-sampler were adequate for histopathologic diagnosis as compared to 84.5% obtained w ith the Novak curette (P = .53). In 181 (44.5%) premenopausal women, 9 4.5% of Z-sampler biopsies were adequate as compared to 95.6% of Novak curette biopsies (P = .80). In 226 (55.6%) postmenopausal women, 73.9 % of Z-sampler biopsies were adequate as compared to 75.7% of Novak cu rette biopsies (P = .66). The Z-sampler biopsies were adequate in 94.5 % of premenopausal women as compared to 73.9% of postmenopausal women (P <.0001). The Novak curette biopsies were adequate in 95.6% of preme nopausal women as compared to 75.7% of postmenopausal women (P <.001). While we did not demonstrate a significant difference in the adequacy of endometrial samples taken with the Z-sampler and Novak curette in premenopausal and postmenopausal women, postmenopausal women had a sig nificantly lower rate of adequate samples obtained with either device as compared to premenopausal women.