The short version
- D&C stands for dilation and curettage. The cervix is opened slightly and a tissue sample is taken from the lining of the uterus.
- It is the most reliable way to sample the uterine lining when an office biopsy was not enough. [1]
- A Smit sleeve is a small tube placed in the cervix to keep the canal open for later internal radiation treatments.
- Avoid strenuous exercise for about 2 weeks. No lifting over 20 pounds for 2 weeks. Pelvic rest for 2 weeks. [2]
- Use pads, not tampons. [2]
Your own discharge papers come first
Everything on this page is taken from the standard printed instructions this office gives patients. If the papers you were handed at discharge say something different, follow those. They were written for your operation. When the two disagree, call the office at 817-759-7065 and let us settle it.
After a D&C and Smit sleeve
The printed instructions for this exact procedure.
What a D&C is
Dilation means gently opening the cervix. Curettage means scraping or suctioning a sample from the lining of the uterus. The National Cancer Institute describes it as a procedure using a spoon-shaped instrument to remove tissue samples. [1] It is often done together with hysteroscopy, which is a procedure to look inside the uterus for abnormal areas using a thin lighted scope. [1]
It is done under anesthesia and takes a short time. It is usually ordered when an office endometrial biopsy did not get enough tissue, when the result did not match the bleeding, or when something on ultrasound needs to be seen directly.
What a Smit sleeve is
A Smit sleeve is a small tube placed through the cervix into the uterus. It holds the cervical canal open so that internal radiation treatments, called brachytherapy, can be given later without having to find and dilate the canal each time.
It is placed while you are already asleep for another procedure, which spares you a separate one. It stays in for the course of the treatments and is removed by your team afterward.
If you have one, you will notice it as a small amount of tubing at the top of the vagina. It should not hurt. Do not put anything in the vagina while it is in place, and call the office if you think it has moved or come out.
Recovery
- Diet. Resume your normal diet. [2]
- Pain. Cramps and soreness are normal. Ibuprofen as needed, or Tylenol if you cannot take ibuprofen. [2]
- Bleeding. Spotting in the days afterward is normal. Pads, not tampons. [2]
- Exercise. Avoid strenuous exercise for about 2 weeks. [2]
- Lifting. Nothing over 20 pounds for 2 weeks. [2]
- Pelvic rest. No intercourse, no douching, nothing in the vagina for 2 weeks. [2]
- Driving. Not the day of surgery, and not if abdominal soreness slows your reaction time. [2]
- Bathing. Shower when comfortable. Avoid tub baths and hot tubs for 2 weeks. [2]
- Walking. Up and walking every 1 to 2 hours in the days afterward. [2]
- Follow-up. 2 week and 6 week visits, already booked. Check the blue folder or call 817-759-7019. [2]
When to call
When to seek care right away
Call the office now, or go to the emergency department, if you have:
- A fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
- Chest pain or shortness of breath
- Nausea and vomiting you cannot get on top of
- Bleeding through more than one pad an hour
- Vaginal discharge with a foul odor
- Trouble emptying your bladder, or burning when you urinate
- Increasing swelling in one leg
- A sudden gush of blood, or filling more than one pad an hour
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
After a D&C and Smit sleeve placement
The printed instructions given after this procedure.
Sources
- National Cancer Institute. Endometrial Cancer Treatment (PDQ) Patient Version. Updated November 13, 2020. https://www.cancer.gov/types/uterine/patient/endometrial-treatment-pdq
- Vasques DR. Post D&C and Smit-sleeve Placement Instructions. The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Fort Worth, TX. Patient handout supplied by the practice. pdfs/after-dc-and-smit-sleeve.pdf
Reviewed by DeEtte R. Vasques, DO, MBA · September 2026