Endocervical Curettage

An Endocervical Curettage is a minor diagnostic procedure done in the office for women to determine the status of the inside lining of the cervix. It is performed by inserting a small instrument, smaller than a pencil, into the cervix and taking a specimen of tissue for analysis.

During the Procedure

The procedure is best done when a woman is not having her period. This gives the doctor a better view of the cervix. For at least 24 hours before the test, you should not

As with a pelvic exam, you will lie on your back with your feet raised and placed on foot rests for support. A speculum will be used to hold apart the vaginal walls so that the inside of the vagina and the cervix can be seen.

Endocervical curettage consists of inserting a small, sharp, scoop-shaped instrument (curette) into the passageway through the cervix (cervical canal) to obtain tissue. The curette is used to scrape a small amount of tissue from high inside the cervical canal which will be sent to a lab to be examined.

The procedure only takes a few minutes to complete. There can be some cramping (similar to a menstrual cramp) during and/or after the procedure.

Results

The tissue will be studied in a lab. When biopsy results come back from the lab, your doctor will discuss them with you. Depending on the results, you may need to be checked more often, or you may need further testing or treatments.

Recovery

You may have a little spotting for a couple of days. Your vagina may feel sore for 1 or 2 days. You may have some vaginal bleeding.

You also may have a dark discharge for a few days. This may occur from medication used to help stop bleeding at the biopsy site. You may need to wear a sanitary pad until the discharge stops.

Your doctor may suggest you limit your activity for a brief time. While the cervix heals, you will be told not to put anything into your vagina for a short time:

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these problems:

Source: acog.org