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An alternative approach to the management dilemma of the mildly dyskaryotic smear based on audit of outcome
Author(s) -
Ifaturoti O. O.,
Lockwood S.,
Etheridge M.,
Ong P. S.,
Rashid F.,
Jones M. H.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1365-2303
pISSN - 0956-5507
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2303.2000.00252.x
Subject(s) - medicine , colposcopy , audit , dilemma , obstetrics , gynecology , cervical cancer , cancer , philosophy , management , epistemology , economics
An alternative approach to the management dilemma of the mildly dyskaryotic smear based on audit of outcome We describe a study which takes an alternative approach to the management dilemma of the mildly dyskaryotic cervical smear. Two hundred and fifty women with a smear showing mild dyskaryosis were studied by auditing the clinical outcome as well as the cost. The cost of providing the colposcopy services during the index year was approximately £70 000 for an average size district general Hospital. The proportion of women managed by the current guidelines and avoiding colposcopy after a first mildly dyskaryotic smear was only 30%. The majority of patients will eventually have colposcopy despite a policy of cytological surveillance. The alternative approach, to offer colposcopy immediately after the first mildly dyskaryotic smear, would result in a small increase in cost for our unit, equivalent to one extra colposcopy patient per week.