D and C or dilatation and curettage (uterine scraping) is a fairly minor surgical procedure. The procedure may be performed in the hospital or in a clinic using general or local anesthesia. The vaginal canal is held open by a speculum and the opening to the uterus (cervix) is anesthetized (not always). The cervical canal is widened (dilated) using a metal rod and a curette (a metal loop on the end of a long thin handle) is then passed through the canal into the uterine cavity. The inner layer of the uterus (endometrium) is scraped away and the tissue is collected for examination.
Review Date: 2/24/2006
Reviewed By: Dominic Marchiano, M.D., Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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