Plastic specula: can we ease the passage?

BACKGROUND

For many years, genitourinary physicians have taught that specula should be used without lubrication other than water, as it was assumed that gel would interfere with the processing of samples, but there seems little evidence to support this. Many clinics are now using plastic specula to avoid reusable instruments, and one of the commonest problems with such specula is increased friction.

METHODS

We looked at the effect of Aquagel on the culture of different dilutions of Neisseria gonorrhoeae on three standard laboratory media. The effect of Aquagel on the chlamydial strand displacement assay (SDA) test was also assessed by mixing different amounts of Aquagel with the positive and negative control and processing in the usual way.

RESULTS

There was found to be no inhibition of culture following emulsification of N gonorrhoeae in Aquagel at any concentration. All the results for the chlamydial SDA test were satisfactory following mixing with Aquagel.

CONCLUSION

We think that the clinician should now be more confident that if a difficult examination requires the use of a lubricant, the test results will not be compromised.