[Acceptable quality cervical cytology taking: comparison of Cervex-brush and Cervex-mex methods]

In cervical cytology taking there has been used several devices (swab, spatula, paintbrushes, and brushes) to reduce false negative results and the necessity to exfoliate more epithelial cells from squamous columnar joint and endocervix.

To compare the quality of cervical cytology taken with Cervex-brush and with Cervex-mex, utilizing the system of Bethesda.

Transversal and comparative study, carried out during a period of two years, that included women from 15 to 85 years old which responded spontaneously to Papanicolaou screening as part of the permanent program of opportune diagnosis of cervical-uterine cancer. Two groups of study were formed with patients assigned in random form, in group 1 was taken cervical cytology with Cervex-brush and in group 2 with Cervex-mex; all samples were manipulated under habitual procedure and cytology were read by hospital's pathologist in blinded form.

There were included 1 658 patients, sample was taken with Cervex-brush in 821, and with Cervex-mex in 837. Thirty-four percent of patients have its first cervical cytology ever. Good quality cytology samples frequency was obtained with Cervex-brush in 48.5%, and with Cervex-mex in 50.4%, with statistical difference (p < 0.05).

Cervex-mex design permits a better taking of endocervical cells, what reduces the number of inadequate cytologies and increases the possibility of detecting endocervical alterations.