Endocervical curettage. Does it contribute to the management of patients with abnormal cervical cytology?

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a prospective analysis of whether endocervical curettage contributes to the management of patients with abnormal cervical cytology. STUDY DESIGN: Three hundred four consecutive patients being evaluated for abnormal squamous cervical cytology at the University of Virginia underwent routine endocervical curettage at the time of diagnostic colposcopy. RESULTS: Among the 304 patients evaluated colposcopically, the information provided by endocervical curettage changed treatment planning in only 13, or 4.27%. In none of these 13 patients would the omission of endocervical curettage at the time of diagnostic colposcopy have resulted in overlooking an occult invasive or microinvasive carcinoma. CONCLUSION: This prospective analysis did not find the information provided by the routine application of endocervical curettage at the time of diagnostic colposcopy to be helpful in the subsequent treatment planning of patients undergoing evaluation for cervical intraepithelial disease.