I honestly dont believe a word of that smear story. I have looked up the cervical cytology brush that is used for swabbing and it is soft plastic and nylon - and I can see no evidence of them
ever breaking. Remember the cervix would be opened with a speculum so no matter how you would tighten up, your vagina could not break the cytology brush.
Also - IF the cytology brush broke - that would be a patient safety issue and the medical practice are obliged to contact the National Screening Service, the HSE, and the company who made the device. This would be a notifiable incident under the HSE National Incident Management Framework - as a near miss/miss incident and would most likely be investigated.
This is such a dangerous story - Im off to report it! Im lived