The Ayre spatula is a device used to collect

Pap smear The Papanicolaou test (abbreviated as Pap test, also known as Pap smear (AE), cervical smear (BE), cervical screening (BE), or smear test (BE)) is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially precancerous and cancerous processes in ...

. It is a wooden spatula with U-shaped openings on one side and a flat surface on another. The broad end is for vaginal sample collection and the narrow end is for cervical sample collection. It is rotated 360 degrees in the vagina to obtain the cells to be sent for Pap smear examination. Recent studies have shown that long-tipped spatulas ( Aylesbury device) or a

cytobrush A cytobrush is a plastic tool used to obtain cells from the cervix during the procedure of a Pap smear The Papanicolaou test (abbreviated as Pap test, also known as Pap smear (AE), cervical smear (BE), cervical screening (BE), or smear test (BE) ...

along with an extended-tip spatula are better than an Ayre spatula in collecting endocervical cells. However, the Ayre spatula continues to be used for cervical sample collection in lower-income countries. The Ayre spatula is introduced into the cervix after exposing the external os using a

speculum The term speculum, Latin for "mirror", and its plural specula, may refer to: * ''Speculum'' (journal), a journal of medieval studies published by the Medieval Academy of America * Speculum (medical), a medical tool used for examining body cavities ...

. The

cytology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living an ...

specimens are obtained by rotating the spatula firmly over the ectocervix and quickly transferring the cells to a slide or jar. The Ayre spatula was invented by James Ernest Ayre and

Georgios Papanikolaou Georgios Nikolaou Papanikolaou (or George Papanicolaou ; ; 13 May 1883 – 19 February 1962) was a Greek physician, zoologist and microscopist who was a pioneer in cytopathology and early cancer detection, and inventor of the pap smear for d ...

. Ayre was granted a patent for it in 1949 and donated the profits from sales of the spatula to the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals ''Cancer'', '' CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'' and '' Cancer Cytopathology''. History The society w ...

References

{{reflist Surgical instruments Gynaecology