title: The utility of endocervical curettage: does routine ECC at the time of colposcopy for low-grade cytologic abnormalities improve diagnosis of high-grade disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the use of endocervical curettage at the time of colposcopy for low-grade cytologic abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective chart review of women with low-grade Papanicolaou smears who had undergone satisfactory colposcopic examinations with identifiable lesions. We evaluated results during a 2-year period thereafter to determine whether endocervical curettage increased the diagnosis of high-grade dysplasia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study group consisted of 374 patients. Of these patients, 16 had endocervical curettages suggestive of high-grade dysplasia. Of these 16 patients, 4 did not have concomitant high-grade dysplasia identified on ectocervical biopsy. Therefore, 93 to 94 endocervical curettages needed to be performed to detect 1 case of high-grade dysplasia that would not have been identified otherwise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine endocervical curettage at the time of satisfactory colposcopy for low-grade cytologic abnormalities with a visible lesion does not significantly improve the diagnosis of high-grade dysplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Sharon Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: Shireen Madani
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D003127:Colposcopy; D003475:Curettage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears