Vaginal cell or cervical cell collection device

A self-sampling device for collecting vaginal cells or cervical cells by a user, wherein the device, comprising:

• a hollow, cylindrical elongated tubing having a distal end and a proximal end;
• a cell collecting area disposed at the distal end of the elongated tubing, wherein the cell collecting area is covered by an adhesive collecting element that is 3.5 to 4.5 centimeters long and 0.5 to 0.9 millimeters in diameter, further the collecting element has organized ridges throughout the surface of the cell collecting area to improve cellular material retaining properties of the collecting element;
• a channel, wherein the channel is disposed within one side of the cell collecting area elongating from approximately 0.3 millimeters below the edge of the distal end of the tubing to approximately 0.3 millimeters before the bottom part of the collecting element, wherein the channel is 0.2 to 0.4 millimeters in depth and 0.2 to 0.4 millimeters wide;
• and
• a handle, wherein the handle is disposed at the proximal end of the tubing and is attached to the base of the device, further the handle comprises a butterfly shaped finger grip, wherein both sides of one end of the finger grip is texture designed to facilitate counting predetermined number of 360 degrees rotations of the device once inserted into the vaginal canal, further the handle and the tubing is designed to form a unitary structure.

A method for collecting vaginal cells or cervical cells by a user, wherein the method, comprising:

• holding a handle of a self-sampling device, wherein the device comprising a hollow, cylindrical elongated tubing having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the handle is disposed at the proximal end of the tubing and is attached to the base of the device and a cell collecting area disposed at the distal end of the elongated tubing;
• inserting the device into the vaginal canal;
• rotating the device by the patient herself for at least three number of 360 degrees rotations to secure proper cell collection, wherein the handle comprises a butterfly shaped finger grip having both sides of one end of the finger grip is texture designed to facilitate counting predetermined number of 360 degrees rotations of the device, further the butterfly shaped finger grip, the handle and the tubing is one piece to prevent the device to be introduced more than necessary to collect the cells;
• and
• collecting the cells by a cell collecting area having a channel disposed along the length of the cell collecting area for accumulating homogenized sample of cells from different areas within the vaginal canal via one insertion, wherein the cell collecting area is covered by an adhesive collecting element that is 3.5 to 4.5 centimeters long and 0.5 to 0.9 millimeters in diameter, further the collecting element has organized ridges throughout the surface to improve cellular material retaining properties of the collecting element.

A device for collecting a homogenized sample of cells from different areas within the vaginal canal by a user, wherein the device, comprising:

• a hollow, cylindrical elongated tubing having a distal end and a proximal end;
• a cell collecting area disposed at the distal end of the elongated tubing, wherein the cell collecting area is covered by an adhesive collecting element extending to a predetermined distance from the edge of the distal end, further the collecting element has plurality of organized ridges arranged in several parallel rows along the length of the cell collecting area;
• a channel, wherein the channel is disposed along the length of the cell collecting area for collecting the cells from different areas along length of the vaginal canal via one insertion, so as to mix the cells within the channel resulting in the homogenized collection of cells;
• and
• a handle, wherein the handle is disposed at the proximal end of the tubing, further the handle comprises an ergonomically shaped finger grip, wherein one end of the finger grip having a design or marking, the handle and the tubing is designed to form a unitary structure.