Diagnostic Value of Endometrial Sampling with Pipelle Suction Curettage for Identifying Endometrial Lesions in Patients with Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

Abstract

Background: While determining the cause of abnormal uterine bleeding, sampling from the endometrium is necessary. Considering that pipelle suction curettage can be performed on an out patient basis and does not require hospitalization, using anesthesia and cervical dilatation, we performed this study. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of dilatation and curettage (D&C) with pipelle suction curettage. Methods: This study was quasiexperimental on 200 pre and postmenopausal patients with abnormal uterine bleeding who refered to Shabihkhani hospital in Kashan, Iran. Endometrial sampling was performed in all patients with two methods namely pipelle and D&C. A pathologist examined the samples each having a predetermined code. Results: The mean age of subjects was 46.2 ±6.2 years, minimum age was 35 years and the maximum was 70 years. The various pathological lab findings were proliferative endometrium, secretory endometrium, athrophic, decidua, cystic and adenomatous hyperplasia. The reports were the same in two methods except for 2 cases where they were different: secretory endometrium with D&C but cystic hyperplasia in pipelle method. Conclusions: The result of our study shows the comparability of obtaining endometrial sample by pipelle with D&C. Due to comfort and convenience of patients in pipelle methode especially in the office setting which does not need anesthesia, pipelle method can easily be employed instead of D&C.
Keywords: Pipelle Suction Curette, Dilatation and Curettage, Premenopause, Postmenopause.