ArticleMedical devices (Auckland, N.Z.)2025
A Survey of Physicians and Patients in Pakistan Assessing the Improvement of Visualization of the Cervix, Ease of Use, and Patient Comfort Using a Newly Designed Vaginal Speculum: A Pilot Study.
Article in Medical devices (Auckland, N.Z.), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07217353 (The Use of a Novel Vaginal Speculum for Endometrial Biopsies), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The Use of a Novel Vaginal Speculum for Endometrial Biopsies
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- AI-assisted point of care ultrasound and an innovative vaginal speculum: a proposed combined approach to reducing spontaneous preterm birth.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- A novel and cost-effective model to screen and treat cervical cancer and precancers at the point of care.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Purpose: The existing 2-bladed vaginal speculum has limitations and barriers to gynecologic diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to evaluate three of these limitations (visualization of the cervix, ease of use, and relative comfort) using a newly designed vaginal speculum that was hypothesized to overcome these limitations. Methods: This pilot prospective observational clinical study was conducted at five hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. Six clinicians were surveyed using two questions on the visibility of the cervix and ease of use of the new vaginal speculum. A total of 100 patients were surveyed to determine the relative comfort of the new speculum. Results: Clinicians rated the visualization of the cervix as "better" in 66% of women (p=0.0007). The newly designed vaginal speculum was reported by clinicians as "easier" to use in 57% of patients (p=0.0808). The survey results indicated that 53% of participants felt less discomfort with the new speculum (p=0.2743). There was a strong statistical correlation between clinician visualization of the cervix and ease of use (+0.8234, p < 0.0001), visualization and comfort (+0.8978, p < 0.0001), and ease of use and comfort (+0.9101, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: This new vaginal speculum demonstrated improved cervical visualization and ease of use in a cohort of 100 Pakistani women. In addition, participants in this study reported less discomfort with the new speculum. There is a potential benefit for all gynecologic screening and treatment with this new vaginal speculum design, especially in resource-constrained countries and in certain disadvantaged populations. The newly designed speculum has been field-tested in multiple countries over the last 5 years. Further clinical studies with larger cohorts are warranted.
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Registered trials
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