D and C
n 1: a surgical procedure usually performed under local
anesthesia in which the cervix is dilated and the
endometrial lining of the uterus is scraped with a curet;
performed to obtain tissue samples or to stop prolonged
bleeding or to remove small tumors or to remove fragments
of placenta after childbirth or as a method of abortion
[syn: {dilation and curettage}, {dilatation and curettage},
{D and C}]