dilatation and curettage

dilatation and curettage
    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}]