FALLOPIAN TISSUE SAMPLING WITH A CYTOBRUSH DURING HYSTEROSCOPY - A NEW APPROACH FOR DETECTING TUBAL INFECTION

Objective: To evaluate whether the transcervical approach for fallopia n tissue sampling is a practicable and safe method to establish an eti ologic diagnosis of salpingitis. Design: Controlled clinical study. Se tting: Academic research environment. Patient(s): Twenty women with pr imary or secondary sterility undergoing hysteroscopy and laparoscopy. Intervention(s): During hysteroscopy, fallopian tissue samples were ob tained from the proximal parts of both tubes with a cytobrush inserted through the working channel of the hysteroscope. Diagnostic laparosco py with assessment of tubal patency was performed in the same session. The specimens were split and used for chlamydial testing by both cell culture and polymerase chain reaction. Serum samples were evaluated f or the presence of antichlamydial antibodies. Main Outcome Measure(s): Practicability and safety of the method. Result(s): The sampling proc edure was performed in all patients without complications. Adequate sa mples were obtained from both tubes in all 20 patients. The fallopian specimens showed evidence of chlamydial infection in one patient. Conc lusion(s): These data indicate that transcervical fallopian tissue sam pling with a cytobrush is a reliable and safe technique.