Abstract

Introduction: Colposcopy examination remains the gold standard in assessment of the patients with abnormal cervical cytology. There is a controversy in performing endocervical curettage (ECC) on satisfactory colposcopy. This study was performed with the aim to investigate the role of ECC as a complementary method, besides colposcopic examination in patients with satisfactory colposcopy.

Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed on 120 patients with abnormal smear, post coital bleeding or persistent cervicitis in an academic hospital of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences from 2011-2014. All patients underwent colposcopic examination. Besides, cervical biopsy in abnormal findings, ECC was also performed for all patients. Then, positive and negative ECC results were determined in diagnosing of dysplasia lesions in normal and abnormal findings of endocervical colposcopic examination. The patients were followed up for 3 years.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 39.3±10.42 yrs. Altogether, 24.2% of the studied patients had a positive ECC. A positive ECC test result was obtained in 15.8% of cases with negative exocervical pathology. 28.3% of those with a satisfactory colposcopy had positive ECC results. The same criteria was 22.3% in patients with an unsatisfactory colposcopy, showing no significant difference based on Pearson test (p=0.367). Among the patients with positive ECC in satisfactory colposcopy, CIN3 was reported in the biopsy of 2 cases (4.3%), and both cases underwent conization.

Conclusion: ECC is recommended in all patients with either a satisfactory or un- satisfactory colposcopy.

Keywords: Satisfactory colposcopy, unsatisfactory colposcopy, endocervical curettage, abnormal cervical cytology.

Graphical Abstract