Evaluation of a device for objective determination of cervical consistency: a pilot study of device's validity on uterine specimens obtained by total abdominal hysterectomy for benign uterine disease.

A new device in assessment of cervical consistency by means of resistance to electrical current was compared to observations made by traditional clinical assessment of the cervix. The cervix of 50 specimens obtained consecutively at a series of total abdominal hysterectomies done for benign disease was evaluated for cervical consistency first by palpation preoperatively and then by the new device, using 5 prototypes, after the specimen was removed. Obtained results showed that intra-observer error for all five prototypes averaged 1.28 +/- 2.5% (mean +/- standard deviation), whereas inter-observer error was 8.44 +/- 7.9%. Stratified by clinical cervical consistency as soft, moderate and firm, there was a statistically significant difference in the resistance to electrical current (f = 29.0, r2 = 0.19, p < 0.0001). Resistance to electrical current was highest for firm cervices, less for those of moderate consistency, and least for soft ones (21.8 +/- 2.73, 19.6 +/- 2.91 and 15.6 +/- 4.09 ohms, respectively). In conclusion, measurements of cervical resistance obtained objectively by a new device reliably correlated with traditional clinical assessment of cervical consistency.