Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsPotential RisksPurposeHow to PrepareDay of SurgeryRecovery
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Potential Risks
Purpose
How to Prepare
Day of Surgery
Recovery
Used for both treatment and diagnosis, dilation and curettage surgery, commonly referred to as D&C, is a procedure that involves removing portions of endometrium, which is the tissue that lines the uterus (or womb).
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D&C is primarily used in cases of miscarriage, unexplained bleeding between menstrual periods, or when there’s leftover tissue following childbirth or an abortion.
This surgery may also be employed as a diagnostic procedure assessing uterine health and fertility, as part of a procedure called hysteroscopy, or as a means of treating excessive bleeding.
Generally speaking, it’s an outpatient procedure, meaning patients are usually able to go home the same day. General anesthesia or spinal epidural in which you’re put to sleep aren’t usually necessary—most are fine with localized numbing—though these may be an option for some patients.
What Is Dilation and Curettage?
Part of the reason D&C surgery is outpatient is that it only involves minimal damage to actual tissues, and the uterus is accessed with no incisions made. In most cases, localized anesthetic drugs are used and general anesthesia isn’t needed, so the patient remains awake while the procedure is performed.
Essentially, aspeculumis used to open the folds of the vagina, allowing access to the cervix. The cervix is then dilated—gradually pushed open with a series of rods of increasing size—which allows healthcare providers access to the inside of the uterus.
Once the lining of the uterus can be accessed, a curette, a specialized tool, is used to scrape the tissue. This tool, shaped like a stylus with a spoon-like scraper at its end, is able to take small portions of the endometrium.
In some cases, suction is used as a tube sucks up tissue for removal or evaluation (something sometimes called “dilation and evacuation,” or D&E). D&C surgery is generally a scheduled procedure.
Contraindications
As with any surgery, a number of existing conditions contraindicate its being employed. These include:
Though it’s considered a minor surgery, D&C surgery is not without its risks:
Purpose of Dilation and Curettage
There are several health conditions that D&C takes on, and as noted, it has both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. When used for the former, it’s often part of hysteroscopy, which involves using a video camera to inspect the uterine lining.Specifically, the procedure is called for in the following cases:
Notably, there are other cases that call for D&C; if believed to be beneficial, your gynecologist or obstetrician will make sure to explain why.
Location
D&C is a relatively minor surgery, and patients typically don’t require an overnight stay for recovery. This procedure can take place in a hospital, healthcare provider’s office, or outpatient clinic.
What can you expect in the operating theater when you come in for D&C? Here’s a quick breakdown:
What to Wear
Since D&C is an outpatient procedure, you won’t need to bring along any extra clothing. You should, however, plan to stay about four to five hours at the hospital, clinic, or office, and keep in mind that you’ll be wearing a gown while the surgery is performed. In terms of what to wear, here are some tips:
Food and Drink
There are few limitations in terms of what you can eat or drink before the procedure. That said, if you opt for general anesthesia or spinal epidural, you’ll be asked to skip foods and beverages for at least eight hours before your appointment.
You can have a limited amount of water. In addition, most healthcare providers advise you to abstain from alcohol for at least 24 hours prior to D&C.
Medications
As with any surgery, taking some medications can increase the chances of complications. You may need to adjust your dosage or temporarily stop taking:
Talk to Your Healthcare Provider About What You’re TakingMake sure to talk to your healthcare provider about what’s safe to take in the run-up to surgery, as well as during recovery.
Talk to Your Healthcare Provider About What You’re Taking
Make sure to talk to your healthcare provider about what’s safe to take in the run-up to surgery, as well as during recovery.
What to Bring
Since an overnight stay is rarely needed after D&C, there isn’t too much you’ll need to bring. Still, you should have along:
Pre-Op Lifestyle Changes
Few preoperative lifestyle changes are necessary prior to this surgery. That said, there are several things you can do on your own to help prevent complications. These include:
What to Expect on the Day of Surgery
While D&C is a relatively quick procedure—it typically only takes about 15 minutes—a great deal happens on the day of the surgery, and you should plan for a four- to five-hour stay.Whether it occurs in a hospital, clinic, or specialist’s office, careful preparation on your part and that of the medical team is needed.
Before the Surgery
Your overall health status will be assessed before surgery. Along with having your vital signs checked, you’ll answer questions about medications you’re taking and any health conditions you’re facing.
At this initial consultation, you’ll also have an opportunity to ask your gynecologist or obstetrician any final questions and chat with the anesthesiologist about your pain management preferences.
During the Surgery
Once your healthcare providers have determined it’s safe to go ahead, you’ll be taken to the operating theater; as noted, while this work can be performed in the surgical ward of a hospital, it can also be done in clinical and office settings.
What happens? Here’s a quick rundown:
After the Surgery
Since D&C is usually performed on an outpatient basis, most patients are able to go home within two to three hours of surgery.However, your stay will be longer and may even need to stretch overnight if there are complications.
If you’ve had general anesthesia, you’ll need to be taken to a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) for recovery. Here your vital signs will be monitored as you wake up.
Once you’re fully awake, you may be moved to a general recovery area and be able to drink or eat snacks.You’ll also be encouraged to get up and walk around, as this helps prevent blood clots from forming.
Once the medical team is sure that your condition is stable and the procedure was successful, you can go home. When you change back into your clothes, you may need to use a pad as there may be some additional bleeding. If you’ve had general anesthesia or medications to help with anxiety, make sure to have a loved one or friend drive.
While it’s considered a more minor procedure, there’s still quite a bit that goes into recovery from D&C. All told, complete recovery takes two to four weeks, though it can take longer.
Here’s what you need to keep in mind during this time:
Healing
So long as you are careful about the affected area, there isn’t too much needed in terms of care for the cervix and uterus. It’s safe to shower following D&C, though make sure to get your healthcare provider’s OK before you take a bath.
What’s most important when it comes to healing is knowing when to call your healthcare provider because something is going wrong. These signs are:
Coping With Recovery
There may be an emotional fallout as you recover. What this emotional recovery looks like depends on your condition. Especially since this surgery may be applied following birth, miscarriage, or abortion—or may bring on a cancer diagnosis—it’s important to attend to your mental health as you go through rehabilitation.
What can you do if you’re faced with these challenges? Here are some quick tips:
Possible Future Surgeries
When D&C is used for diagnosis, additional surgeries or procedures may be needed to address any conditions that are discovered. Notably too, surgeries may be needed to treat complications. These include:
A Word From Verywell
There’s no doubt that the prospect of surgery—even a relatively minor one like D&C—can be scary. Such anxiety can certainly arise when you have problems associated with pregnancy, cancer, uterine fibroids, polyps, or other reproductive system issues. In the face of these procedures, it’s not uncommon to feel stressed and out of sorts.
However, it’s important to realize that D&C has a well-established history, and it’s continuing to advance and progress. As healthcare providers learn more, as surgical techniques and tools develop, and as treatments get better, patient outcomes will only get better.
Know that you have not only dedicated experts and the latest technologies on your side, you also have your family, friends, and loved ones. Working together, you’ll be ready to face your surgery and take on any medical conditions you face. D&C may well prove to be the first step on the road to healthier, happier days.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.John Hopkins Medicine.Dilation and curettage (D and C).Cleveland Clinic.Dilation and curettage (D&C): treatment, risks, recovery.University of Rochester Medical Center, Burd I, Freeborn D.Dilation and curettage. Health Encyclopedia.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Preparing for surgery.Stanford University School of Medicine.Medications and herbs that affect bleeding.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Dilation and curettage (D&C).Saint Luke’s Health System.Dilation and curettage (D&C).Harvard Health.Prepare for prehab. Harvard Men’s Health Watch.Ziegler N, Korell M, Herrmann A et al.Uterine perforation following a fractional curettage successfully treated with the modified polysaccharide 4DryField® PH: a case report.J Med Case Rep. 2016;10(1). doi:10.1186/s13256-016-1029-xAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Hysterectomy.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.John Hopkins Medicine.Dilation and curettage (D and C).Cleveland Clinic.Dilation and curettage (D&C): treatment, risks, recovery.University of Rochester Medical Center, Burd I, Freeborn D.Dilation and curettage. Health Encyclopedia.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Preparing for surgery.Stanford University School of Medicine.Medications and herbs that affect bleeding.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Dilation and curettage (D&C).Saint Luke’s Health System.Dilation and curettage (D&C).Harvard Health.Prepare for prehab. Harvard Men’s Health Watch.Ziegler N, Korell M, Herrmann A et al.Uterine perforation following a fractional curettage successfully treated with the modified polysaccharide 4DryField® PH: a case report.J Med Case Rep. 2016;10(1). doi:10.1186/s13256-016-1029-xAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Hysterectomy.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
John Hopkins Medicine.Dilation and curettage (D and C).Cleveland Clinic.Dilation and curettage (D&C): treatment, risks, recovery.University of Rochester Medical Center, Burd I, Freeborn D.Dilation and curettage. Health Encyclopedia.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Preparing for surgery.Stanford University School of Medicine.Medications and herbs that affect bleeding.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Dilation and curettage (D&C).Saint Luke’s Health System.Dilation and curettage (D&C).Harvard Health.Prepare for prehab. Harvard Men’s Health Watch.Ziegler N, Korell M, Herrmann A et al.Uterine perforation following a fractional curettage successfully treated with the modified polysaccharide 4DryField® PH: a case report.J Med Case Rep. 2016;10(1). doi:10.1186/s13256-016-1029-xAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Hysterectomy.
John Hopkins Medicine.Dilation and curettage (D and C).
Cleveland Clinic.Dilation and curettage (D&C): treatment, risks, recovery.
University of Rochester Medical Center, Burd I, Freeborn D.Dilation and curettage. Health Encyclopedia.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Preparing for surgery.
Stanford University School of Medicine.Medications and herbs that affect bleeding.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Dilation and curettage (D&C).
Saint Luke’s Health System.Dilation and curettage (D&C).
Harvard Health.Prepare for prehab. Harvard Men’s Health Watch.
Ziegler N, Korell M, Herrmann A et al.Uterine perforation following a fractional curettage successfully treated with the modified polysaccharide 4DryField® PH: a case report.J Med Case Rep. 2016;10(1). doi:10.1186/s13256-016-1029-x
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Hysterectomy.
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