COMPARISON OF CYTOSPAT AND PIPELLE ENDOMETRIAL BIOPSY INSTRUMENTS

Objective: To compare two endometrial biopsy techniques, based on the quality of material obtained, cost effectiveness, and pain during the procedure. Study design: A single blind, randomized prospective study. Results: A total of 365 women with peri/postmenopausal bleeding were randomized into two groups: 174 biopsied with cytospat (C) and 191 bio psied with pipelle (P). Both procedures were then followed by either d ilatation and curettage (D&C) or hysterectomy. Pain was evaluated in 3 79 patients, with the result being better tolerance for P vs. C (3.55 vs. 4.06, P = 0.07). With C, the sensitivity in histological evaluatio n was 82% for benign endometrium, 60% for endometrial hyperplasia and 60% for corpus uterine neoplasia as compared to the D&C and hysterecto my material. With P the sensitivity was 84, 71 and 60%, respectively f or the three diagnoses, as compared to the D&C and hysterectomy materi al. Insufficient tissue for pathologic evaluation was present in 24% o f C, 25% of P and 9.8% of D&C samples. Conclusions: Cost effectiveness for pipelle is slightly higher than for Cytospat. (C) 1997 Elsevier S cience Ireland Ltd.