Cervical smear

ABSTRACT

To review cervical smear results in women of reproductive age group. Descriptive study. This study was carried out at the pathology department, Railway hospital, lslamic lnternational Medical College Trust. Rawalpindi, from Jan 2007-Dec 2010. A total of four hundred and seventy seven cervical smears were included in the study. lnclusion criteria was females of reproductive age group. Smears from postmenopausal women and those who had hysterectomy were excluded from the study. The cervical smear was taken using modified Ayres wooden spatula, or plastic spatula, to collect endocervical sample. The slides prepared were immediately fixed in 95% ethyl alcohol, and were subsequently stained by the recommended procedure of Pap staining. After staining, the slides were mounted with Canada balsam and finally reported by the cytopathologist according to the Bethesda System. Four hundred and seventy seven patients were included in the study. Most of the patients belonged to low socio economic status. The cytological examination of the smears showed inflammatory changes in 33% [n=159] cases, normal smears/ no positive finding in 25% [n= 118] cases, while reactive changes were seen in 2% [n= 10]. Dysplastic changes were seen in 2% [n= 10], while unsatisfactory/ lnadequate samples were reported in 38%[n=182] cases.