Dilation and curettage

Dilation and curettage (D&C) is a procedure to remove tissue from inside your uterus. Doctors perform dilation and curettage to diagnose and treat certain uterine conditions — such as heavy bleeding — or to clear the uterine lining after a miscarriage or abortion.

In a dilation and curettage — sometimes spelled "dilatation" and curettage — your doctor uses small instruments or a medication to open (dilate) your cervix — the lower, narrow part of your uterus. Your doctor then uses a surgical instrument called a curette to remove uterine tissue. Curettes used in a D&C can be sharp or use suction.

Why it's done?

Dilation and curettage can diagnose or treat a uterine condition.

To diagnose a condition : Your doctor might recommend a type of D&C called endometrial sampling to diagnose a condition if:

• You have abnormal uterine bleeding
• You experience bleeding after menopause
• Your doctor discovers abnormal endometrial cells during a routine test for cervical cancer

To perform the test, your doctor collects a tissue sample from the lining of your uterus (endometrium) and sends the sample to a lab for testing. The test can check for:

• Endometrial hyperplasia — a precancerous condition in which the uterine lining becomes too thick
• Uterine polyps
• Uterine cancer

To treat a condition

When performing a therapeutic D&C, your doctor removes the contents from inside your uterus, not just a small tissue sample. Your doctor may do this to:

• Clear out tissues that remain in the uterus after a miscarriage or abortion to prevent infection or heavy bleeding
• Remove a molar pregnancy, in which a tumor forms instead of a normal pregnancy
• Treat excessive bleeding after delivery by clearing out any placenta that remains in the uterus
• Remove cervical or uterine polyps, which are usually noncancerous (benign)

Your doctor may perform the D&C along with another procedure called a hysteroscopy. During a hysteroscopy, your doctor inserts a slim instrument with a light and on the end into your vagina, through your cervix and up into your uterus.

Your doctor then views the lining of your uterus on a screen, noting any areas that look abnormal, making sure there aren't any polyps and taking tissue samples as needed. During a hysteroscopy, your doctor can also remove uterine polyps and fibroid tumors.