Dd. Harrison et al., ENDOCERVICAL BRUSH VERSUS COTTON SWAB FOR OBTAINING CERVICAL SMEARS AT A CLINIC - A COST COMPARISON, Journal of reproductive medicine, 38(4), 1993, pp. 285-288
Use of the nylon endocervical brush has been shown to increase the pro
portion of Papanicolaou smears with endocervical cells in a variety of
populations. Each endocervical brush is approximately 100 times more
expensive than the cotton swab that has been used routinely for cervic
al cytology collection. We sought to determine prospectively whether t
he endocervical brush would be cost effective by reducing the need for
repeat sampling due to Papanicolaou smears' lacking endocervical cell
s. Cervical cytology specimens showed no endocervical cells in 114 (20
%) of 561 women sampled with a cotton swab and Ayre spatula. In contra
st, 37 (7%) of 511 women sampled with the endocervical brush and Ayre
spatula had no endocervical cells in their specimens. A cost analysis
showed that at our clinic, where approximately 3,300 Papanicolaou smea
rs are performed annually, annual savings of > $22,000 would be realiz
ed by use of endocervical brushes.