Curettage ( or ), in

medical procedure A medical procedure is a course of action intended to achieve a result in the delivery of healthcare. A medical procedure with the intention of determining, measuring, or diagnosing a patient condition or parameter is also called a medical test. ...

s, is the use of a

curette A curette is a surgical instrument designed for scraping or debriding biological tissue or debris in a biopsy, excision, or cleaning procedure. In form, the curette is a small hand tool, often similar in shape to a stylus; at the tip of the cu ...

(French, meaning scoop

Mosby's Medical, Nursing & Allied Health Dictionary ''Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & Health Professions'' is a dictionary of health related topics. The 8th edition, published in 2009, contains 2,240 pages and 2,400 colour illustrations. It includes some encyclopaedic definitions and 12 ap ...

, Fourth Edition, Mosby-Year Book 1994, p. 422) to remove tissue by scraping or scooping. Curettages are also a declining method of

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...

. It has been replaced by

vacuum aspiration Vacuum or suction aspiration is a procedure that uses a vacuum source to remove an embryo or fetus through the cervix. The procedure is performed to induce abortion, as a treatment for incomplete spontaneous abortion (otherwise commonly known as ...

over the last decade. Curettage has been used to treat teeth affected by

periodontitis Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a set of inflammatory conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth. In its early stage, called gingivitis, the gums become swollen and red and may bleed. It is considered the main cau ...

. Curettage is also a major method used for removing

osteoid osteoma An osteoid osteoma is a benign (non-cancerous) bone tumor that arises from osteoblasts and some components of osteoclasts. It was originally thought to be a smaller version of an osteoblastoma. Osteoid osteomas tend to be less than 1.5 cm i ...

and

osteoblastoma Osteoblastoma is an uncommon osteoid tissue-forming primary neoplasm of the bone. It has clinical and histologic manifestations similar to those of osteoid osteoma; therefore, some consider the two tumors to be variants of the same disease, wit ...

. Curettage with subsequent culture is more accurate than ulcer base swan culture or aspiration and culture for diabetic foot ulcers. Curettage is also used when excising a

chalazion A chalazion (; plural chalazia or chalazions) or meibomian cyst is a cyst in the eyelid usually due to a blocked meibomian gland, typically in the middle of the eyelid, red, and not painful. They tend to come on gradually over a few weeks. A ...

of the eyelid.

References

Diagnostic obstetrics and gynaecology Surgical procedures and techniques {{Surgery-stub

See also

References