| 摘要 |
A personal PAP smear apparatus and method for collecting a non-intrusive cell or tissue sample for medical testing such as cervical cancer screening is provided. The apparatus includes an insertion handle, a flexible speculum ring, and a means for movably attaching the speculum ring to the insertion handle. The speculum ring includes two adjacent ring halves circumferentially divided to permit expansion of the collapsed speculum tube housed within the hollow ring halves. The method of the invention includes insertion of the flexible speculum assembly into the user's vagina, movement of the speculum ring to a raised position encircling the user's cervix, separating the ring halves to expand the tube and define the speculum bore, and inserting a sampling tool through the bore until it touches the cervix or surrounding surface areas for tissue sampling. |
