title: The unicum and cytobrush plus spatula for cervical cytologic sampling: a comparison.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of the Unicum, a new ectocervical-endocervical nylon brush, with that of the Cytobrush plus wooden spatula in the collection of cervical-endocervical material.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight patients who underwent routine gynecologic examinations agreed to have a smear taken with the wooden spatula plus Cytobrush and the Unicum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two methods were equally effective in collecting endocervical-ectocervical smears.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With our method, sampling is done with only one device; the ectocervix and endocervix are sampled simultaneously, and adequate sampling of the transformation zone must be achieved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ospedale Ivrea, Italy.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Broso
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buffetti
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fabbrini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Francone
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orlassino
mesh_terms: D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods