View source for Curette

{{short description|Surgical hand tool for scraping or debriding tissue}}
{{More citations needed|article|date=December 2020}}
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[[File:Curette in sterile packaging.jpg|thumb|upright|A curette in sterile packaging, for scraping the interior of the [[uterus]].]]
[[File:Spoon-shaped curette.jpg|thumb|upright|Spoon-shaped curette.]]
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A '''curette''' is a [[surgical instrument]] designed for scraping or [[debridement|debriding]] [[biological tissue]] or debris in a [[biopsy]], [[:wikt:excision|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 curette is a small scoop, hook, or [[Chisel#Gouge|gouge]]. The verb ''to curette'' means "to scrape with a curette", and '''curettage''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|ʊər|ᵻ|ˈ|t|ɑː|ʒ}} or {{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|jʊər|ᵻ|ˈ|t|ɑː|ʒ}}) is treatment that involves such scraping.

== Uses ==
Some examples of medical use of a curette include:

* the removal of impacted [[ear wax]];
* [[dilation and curettage]] of the [[uterus]], a [[gynaecology|gynecologic]] procedure;
*excision of many [[Benign tumor|benign tumors]] and some [[Cancer|malignant tumors]];<ref>{{Citation|last1=Bogle|first1=Melissa A|title=Chapter 4 - Instruments and Materials|date=2005-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323027526500092|work=Surgery of the Skin|pages=59–66|editor-last=Robinson|editor-first=June K|place=Edinburgh|publisher=Mosby|language=en|doi=10.1016/b978-0-323-02752-6.50009-2|isbn=978-0-323-02752-6|access-date=2020-12-16|last2=Joseph|first2=Aaron K|editor2-last=Sengelmann|editor2-first=Roberta D|editor3-last=Hanke|editor3-first=C William|editor4-last=Siegel|editor4-first=Daniel Mark|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* excision of the [[adenoids]] ([[adenoidectomy]]) by an [[otolaryngologist]];<ref>{{Citation|last1=Truong|first1=Mai Thy|title=Chapter 70 - Current Techniques of Adenoidectomy|date=2020-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323443395000705|work=Sleep Apnea and Snoring (Second Edition)|pages=422–425|editor-last=Friedman|editor-first=Michael|place=London|publisher=Elsevier|language=en|doi=10.1016/b978-0-323-44339-5.00070-5|isbn=978-0-323-44339-5|access-date=2020-12-16|last2=Koltai|first2=Peter J.|s2cid=240634800|editor2-last=Jacobowitz|editor2-first=Ofer|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* to scrape [[dental tartar|tartar]] deposits from [[tooth enamel]] with a [[periodontal curette]].

==See also==
*[[Ear pick]]

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|curette}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120302181058/http://lowcountrydigital.library.cofc.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=any&CISOBOX1=curettage&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=all Curette images from the Waring Historical Library at the Medical University of South Carolina]

[[Category:Surgical instruments]]

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{{Surgical instruments}}