The value of endocervical curettage in the management of the patient with abnormal cervical cytologic findings.

Patients with adequate colposcopic examinations and dysplasia on the endocervical curettage specimen usually undergo further diagnostic evaluation. This study evaluated 712 patients and found the frequency of positive endocervical curettage specimens to be 17.6%. Cervical conization or hysterectomy specimens were examined in 66 cases with a positive endocervical curettage. Of these, 69.7% had histologic evidence of discontinuous dysplasia in the endocervical canal. The endocervical curettage specimens were grouped by the percentage of endocervical epithelium that was dysplastic: group 1, less than 10%; group 2, 10% to 50%; group 3, greater than 50%. Confirmed histologic endocervical involvement was 80%, 56%, and 60%, respectively. The involvement of the endocervical canal also increased with increasing grade of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Of the 66 cases examined with positive endocervical curettage specimens, 62.1% had grade 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia on the ectocervix. Seven patients had positive endocervical margins, with six of these occurring in grade 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia lesions. Two unsuspected cases of cervical malignancy were identified by endocervical curettage.