A comparison of endometrial sampling with the Accurette and Vabra aspirator and uterine curettage

Abstract

Endometrial samples were obtained with the Accurette and the Vabra aspirator and were compared with samples obtained by dilation and curettage in 40 patients with postmenopausal bleeding. The degree of discomfort and patient acceptability of the two outpatient procedures, the adequacy of the samples for cytological and histological examination, and the cytological and histological diagnosis were compared. The Accurette and the Vabra aspirator could not be inserted in 5 out of 40 patients because of cervical stenosis. From approximately 30 of the remaining 35 patients, adequate samples were obtained. Six cases of endometrial hyperplasia and 3 of endometrial carcinoma were diagnosed by all the methods employed, except for 1 case of endometrial hyperplasia in which the sample obtained with the Accurette was inadequate for histological examination but was nevertheless adequate for cytological examination. Of the 5 patients in whom endometrial sampling by both the Accurette and the Vabra aspirator could not be performed because of cervical stenosis, 2 cases of endometrial carcinoma were found on uterine curettage. In patients with cervical stenosis, however, dilatation and curettage under general anaesthesia is mandatory. The Accurette has the advantage of being less expensive and more suitable for routine endometrial sampling for the detection of endometrial hyperplasia or carcinoma and dating of the endometrium in cases of infertility. Both the Accurette procedure and Vabra aspiration appeared to be reliable methods of obtaining endometrial samples.