Dilation and Curettage (D&C) is a surgical procedure to expel all the fetal tissues that are left behind in your uterine lining after miscarriage or abortion. Doctors may also conduct this procedure to diagnose and treat certain uterine conditions.
D&C includes two main parts; dilation and curettage. In dilation, your doctor uses a medical instrument to open or expand (dilate) your cervix; the narrow part of your uterus. Then in the next part (Curettage), your doctor uses a spoon like surgical instrument called a curette to remove uterine tissues. Curettes can use sharp instruments or use suction for tissue removal.
D&C is performed for two main reasons:
Your doctor might need some samples of your endometrium to diagnose following conditions:
The tissue samples are collected from the uterine lining and sent for lab testing. Various tests are conducted to find whether the patient is having endometrial hyperplasia, uterine polyps or uterine cancer.
Your doctor may perform a D&C surgery for the following:
After D&C surgery, the patients stay back at the hospital until they recover from the influence of anesthesia. D&C is an out patient surgery, so patients can go home after the surgery. Post-surgery one can resume normal activities in few days. You are likely to feel cramps during the recovery period. Doctors will prescribe some anti-inflammatory medicines to relieve this pain. Follow up checks can be scheduled within 2-6 weeks post-surgery period.