title: Effect of the size of extended, modified Ayre's spatula on endocervical cell yield in the postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The extended tip of modified Ayre's spatula often was not inserted into the cervical os of some menopausal women. This study investigated in the postmenopausal women by reducing the size of extended tip of modified Ayre's spatula to prove the better outcome of cervical smears.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of the new design spatula with the regular used spatula on endocervical cell yield in the postmenopausal women
  
  
  METHODS
  The postmenopausal women who came for cervical cancer screening (pap smear) were allocated into two groups by random. The screening for cervical cancer of the first group was performed by using the conventional modified Ayre's spatula and the second group by using the new-design extended tip modified Ayre's spatula. The slides contain endocervical cell of both groups were statistically compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred postmenopausal women were recruited in this study. Overall average of the endocervical cell yield is 46.5%. The endocervical cell yield of the new-design extended tip modified Ayre's spatula is 46% and of the control group is 47%. The cell pick up tool that all length of the extended tip inserted into the cervical os of the postmenopausal women is only fifty-seven percent of the first group and sixty-six percent of the second group. Bleeding from cervical os after taking the cells from the cervix is 38.6% of the new-design extended tip modified Ayre's spatula and 61.4% of the convention modified Ayre's spatula.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No statistic difference on the endocervical cell yield between groups in this study. The endocervical cell yield is related to the design and the insertion into the cervical os of the extended tip of spatula. Additional study of the smaller taper extended spatula tip is required. Using only one model of the extended tip, modified Ayre's spatula to pick up cell for pap smear in everyone who come for cervical cell carcinoma screening might be not appropriate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakarinwirot University, Ongkarak, Nakorn Nayok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Wallobh
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Parnpoonsarp
authors.forename: Piyawan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ploarsa
authors.forename: Vongterat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arpakorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D017698:Postmenopause; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology