Curette Health Dictionary

The use of a sharp-edged, spoon-shaped surgical instrument called a curette to scrape abnormal tissue, or tissue for analysis, from the lining of a body cavity or from the skin.... curettage

Common papular eruption of the skin caused by a virus. Most common in children, it is highly contagious and often transmitted in swimming pools and sauna baths. Mollusca are often multiple and persistent in children with atopic eczema (see DERMATITIS), and epidemics may occur in boarding schools. The typical molluscum is 2–3 mm in diameter, skincoloured and translucent, with a dimpled centre. The armpits and adjacent chest, upper inner thighs and genital areas are common sites in young children. In adults the infection is usually transmitted sexually and affects the pubic area and lower belly. Mollusca eventually disappear spontaneously, but cure can be expedited by curettage (removal with a CURETTE) under surface anaesthesia.... molluscum contagiosum

Warts (verrucae) are small, solid outgrowths from the SKIN arising from the epidermis and caused by various subtypes of ‘human papilloma virus’. The causal viruses are ubiquitous and most people probably harbour them. Whether or not warts develop depends upon age, previous infection and natural resistance.

Common warts (verruca vulgaris) are seen mainly in children and young adults on the backs of the ?ngers and hands, and less often on the knees, face or scalp. They may be single or numerous and range from 1 mm to 10 mm or more in size. Untreated, they often resolve spontaneously after weeks or months. They may be occupationally contracted by butchers and meat-handlers.

Plane warts (verruca plana) are small, ?at-topped, yellowish papules seen mainly on the backs of the hands, wrists and face in young people. They may persist for years.

Digitate warts (verruca digitata) are ?nger- or thread-like warts up to 5 mm in length with a dark rough tip. They tend to grow on the eyelids or neck.

Plantar warts (verruca plantaris) occur on the soles of the feet, most commonly in older children, adolescents and young adults. Spread by walking barefoot in swimming pools, changing rooms, etc., these warts may appear as minor epidemics in institutions, such as schools. They are ?attened, yellow-white discrete lesions in the sole or heel, tender when squeezed. Multiple black points in the wart are thrombosed capillaries. Occasionally, aggregates of plantar warts form a mosaic-like plaque, especially in chronically warm, moist feet.

Genital warts are sexually transmitted. In the male they occur on the shaft of the PENIS and on the PREPUCE or around the anus. In women they occur around the entrance to the VAGINA and LABIA minora. Genital warts vary from 1–2 mm pink papules to ?orid, cauli?ower-like masses. Pregnancy facilitates their development.

Mucosal warts may develop on the mucous membranes of the mouth.

Laryngeal warts may be found in children whose mothers had genital warts (see above) at the time of delivery. Some subtypes of genital wart can infect the uterine cervix (see UTERUS), causing changes which may lead eventually to cancer.

Treatment CRYOTHERAPY – freezing with liquid nitrogen – is the principal weapon against all types of warts, but curettage (scraping out the wart with a CURETTE) and cauterisation (see ELECTROCAUTERY) or LASER therapy may be required for resistant warts. Genital warts may respond to local application of PODOPHYLLIN preparations. Sexual partners should be examined and treated if necessary. Finally, treatment of warts should not be more onerous or painful than the disease itself, since spontaneous resolution is so common.... warts

The scraping of the wall of a cavity or other surface with a dental curette.

Dental curettage is one method used to remove the lining of periodontal pockets and diseased tissue from root surfaces in periodontitis.... curettage, dental

(D and C) an operation in which the cervix (neck) of the uterus is dilated, using an instrument called a *dilator, and the lining (endometrium) of the uterus is lightly scraped off with a manual curette (see curettage) or removed by suction using an aspirator. It is performed for a variety of reasons, including the removal of any material remaining after miscarriage and obtaining an endometrial biopsy for histological examination.... dilatation and curettage

n. 1. a spoon-shaped surgical instrument that is used to scrape out diseased tissue, usually for laboratory examination. 2. a type of hand instrument with spoon ends used for removing decayed dentine from teeth. It may also be used as a *curette.... excavator

n. the formation of a hole in a hollow organ. This may occur in the course of a disease (e.g. perforation from a *duodenal ulcer, or stomach cancer), allowing the flow of intestinal contents into the peritoneal cavity, with subsequent inflammation (*peritonitis), severe abdominal pain, and shock. Treatment is usually by surgical repair of the perforation, but conservative treatment with antibiotics may result in spontaneous healing. Perforations may also be caused by instruments – for example a gastroscope may perforate the stomach or a curette may perforate the uterus – or by injury, for example to the eardrum.... perforation

n. an instrument for removing calculus from the teeth. It may be a hand instrument (usually sickle or curette) or one energized by rapid ultrasonic vibrations.... scaler