Dilatation and curettage is the process of scraping the uterus of any debris or fetal and placenta fragments. The patient lay down and injected with general anesthesia. This procedure is performed by an Obgyne. The vagina is exposed; through the use o f speculum which is inserted to the vaginal canal in order to give way of the forceps to go inside the open cervix, the uterus is scraped and cleaned for any fetal and placental debris in case of miscarriage or inevitable abortion. The procedure may last up to thirty minutes.
Dilatation & Curettage is used to do the following:
• Collecting tissue samples for biopsy.
• To cure heavy bleeding just like in placenta previa
• Scraping of retained fetal and placental debris just like in miscarriage and inevitable abortion.
• To diagnose intra uterine bleeding.
• To investigate cause of female infertility.
• To remove vaginal polyps.
• To diagnose cervical and endometrial cancer.
• To remove Intra Uterine Device.
• To perform pregnancy induced abortion.
Dilatation & Curettage is a simple Obgyne procedure, but no matter how simple it is, there is a limit in performing this procedure. If you have feel the following, better consult and talk to your doctor regarding your condition,
• If you are too ill
• If the pain is unbearable even to lift just one leg
• If blood clot is a problem
Some complications are observed during the process such as,
• The body reacts to general anesthesia. An anesthesia test should be done prior to injection.
• The patient will experience breathing difficulties. Though the symptom is mild.
• Vaginal bleeding due to scraping of uterine wall and laceration of skin
• Infection from instruments used.
Because of progressive technological and medical development, dilatation & Curettage is not used any more to cure such as in heavy bleeding because such cases can now be managed with hormonal base medications.