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AIM: To analyze the reliability of endocervical curettage (ECC) in the diagnosis of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer, and to identify risk factors associated with diagnostic underestimation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was carried-out involving 445 patients who underwent ECC for: endocervical lesion incompletely visible on colposcopy or inaccessible to biopsy; atypical glandular cells on smear, or discrepancy between colposcopic impression and cytological abnormalities. RESULTS: Comparison between ECC and final diagnosis showed a perfect match in 362 patients (81.3%). For 189 patients with pre-cancerous or cancerous endocervical lesions, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 87.3%, 96.9%, 95.4% and 91.9%, respectively. No clinical, cytological or colposcopic characteristics were associated with significantly increased risk of diagnostic underestimation with ECC. CONCLUSION: ECC is a very reliable tool for reducing the number of unnecessary treatments, without increasing the risk of allowing some lesions to evolve into cancer.

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Because of the natural history of precancerous cervical lesions, cancer of the cervix uteri is easily preventable by screening. Pap smear is an effective and simple test, not very expensive and harmless. In France, 3000 to 3500 new cases still occur every year especially due to insufficient participation of the target population but also because of low sensibility of the test and problems in the management of cytological abnormalities. Organisation of screening, following the Alsatian model, which has been operational for 15 years, would be a cost-effective strategy. Changing Pap smear for HPV testing needs careful assessment by national population based randomized studies before any routine use.

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OBJECTIVE: To report a case of hematometra following laparoscopic resection of rectovaginal endometriosis extending to the cervix. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT(S): A 31-year-old woman with endometriosis and infertility. INTERVENTION(S): Combined laparoscopic and vaginal surgery. RESULT(S): The cervix had retracted into the vaginal scar after surgery, preventing the escape of menstrual blood. The hematometra was drained, and the cervix was repositioned into the vagina with use of a combined vaginal and laparoscopic approach. CONCLUSION(S): Retraction of the cervix into the cul-de-sac can occur as a complication of excision of rectovaginal nodules that extend onto the posterior surface of the cervix. Excision of the posterior cervix should avoid deep excision of the posterior lip and should be limited only to the ectocervical margin to avoid such complications.

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BACKGROUND: No previous studies have examined the effect of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) on early infant growth. The objective was to study infant growth patterns of babies born to mothers with PIH at 28 and 42 days postpartum. DESIGN: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of 16,936 pregnancies delivered between January 1, 1989 through December 31, 1990 in Suzhou, China. PIH was classified as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia. Infant Growth Percentage (IGP) was calculated as the weight gain from birth to infant weight at 28 or 42 days postpartum divided by the birth weight. Univariate analysis and multivariate linear regression were performed to compare the infant weight as well as IGP at 28 and 42 days postpartum between various types of PIH and the normotensive group. RESULTS: Infant weights at 28 and 42 days postpartum were significantly lower in severe preeclampsia (e.g., 4679.9 g at 42 days) and preeclampsia (e.g., 4763.8 g at 42 days) groups than in the normotensive group (e.g., 4869.1 g at 42 days, p < 0.01). However, there were no differences in IGP between groups. After stratifying by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) status, if babies were not intrauterine growth restricted, none of the PIH types showed a significantly lower weight at 28 and 42 days postpartum and their IGPs were similar to those of the reference group. When babies were growth restricted, all PIH groups showed significantly lower weights but higher IGP at 28 and 42 days postpartum as compared to the normotensive group. CONCLUSION: Infants born to mothers with PIH but without IUGR have normal early infant growth. IUGR secondary to PIH is associated with significant catch-up growth at 28 and 42 days postpartum.