What it is
Dilation means opening the cervix. Curettage means removing the lining.
It is done for two reasons. To get tissue the pathologist can read, or to empty the uterus.
It is often combined with hysteroscopy, so Dr. Mueller can see what she is taking rather than work blind.
Why it is done
- Any bleeding after menopause
- Heavy or irregular bleeding an office biopsy did not explain
- An office biopsy that could not be completed
- A thickened lining on ultrasound
- A miscarriage, or a pregnancy that stopped growing
- Tissue left in the uterus after a miscarriage
- A polyp that needs to come out
What happens, step by step
- 1
Before the day
Your ultrasound and blood work are reviewed. You stop eating at midnight.
- 2
Anesthesia given
You are sedated or asleep, not awake.
- 3
Cervix opened
Thin dilators widen the cervix a few millimeters.
- 4
Lining removed
A curette or gentle suction takes the lining.
- 5
Tissue sent
Everything removed goes to pathology.
- 6
Home the same day
You wake in recovery and go home.
Questions people ask
- Will I be awake?
- No. You are sedated or asleep, and you will not feel the dilation.
- Can I drive home?
- No. Anesthesia means someone drives you and stays with you the rest of the day.
- How long will I bleed?
- Spotting to light bleeding for up to two weeks. Heavy bleeding with clots is a reason to call.
- How is this different from an office biopsy?
- A biopsy takes a small sample through a closed cervix. A D&C opens it and samples the whole lining.
- Will it affect my fertility?
- The uterus, tubes and ovaries stay. Scar tissue inside the uterus is uncommon, and it is the one risk worth knowing.
- When can I have sex again?
- About two weeks, or until the bleeding stops. Nothing in the vagina until then.