gynecology and obstetrics
Cervical Stenosis
Diagnosis of Cervical Stenosis
Pelvic examination using an instrument Cervical stenosis is often diagnosed only when clinicians have difficulty accessing the uterine cavity during tests done for a different reason. It may be suspected based on symptoms and signs (particularly development of amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea after cervical surgery) or on inability to obtain endocervical cells or an endometrial sample for diagnostic tests (eg, for a Papanicolaou [Pap] test). Diagnosis of complete stenosis is established if a 1- to 2-mm diameter probe (uterine sound or dilator) cannot be passed into the uterine cavity. For postmenopausal women with no history of abnormal Pap tests and for women without symptoms or uterine abnormalities, no further evaluation is needed. If cervical stenosis causes symptoms or uterine abnormalities (eg, hematometra, pyometra), cervical cytology and endometrial biopsy or dilation and curettage (D & C) should be done to exclude cancer. 