II. Indications
- Cervical dilation prior to Dilation and Curettage
III. Advantages
- Safe and effective
- Less cervical Trauma and pain than with dilator
IV. Preparations
- Laminaria digitata
- Seaweed stem of 2-3 mm width
- String attached to end for removal
- Swells on contact with water
- May reach up to 5x its original width in 12 hours
- Synthetic alternatives to Laminaria
- Dilateria
- Lamicel
- Dilapan
V. Procedure
- Prepare Cervix
- Insert uterine sound just past cervical os
- Opens cervical os to allow for insertion of Laminaria
- Helps determine cervical orientation
- Do not fully insert
- Not necessary to determine uterine depth
- Insert Laminaria
- Hold tenaculum to steady Cervix
- Hold Laminaria with ring forceps and insert into os
- Allow Laminaria tip to pivot to find cervical canal
- Fully insert Laminaria into Cervix
- Consider placing second Laminaria next to first
- Indicated if Gestational age >11 weeks
- Remove tenaculum
- Apply sponge against Laminaria to prevent removal
VI. Follow-up
- Leave Laminaria in overnight
- Remove Laminaria at time of Dilation and Curettage
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Related Studies
| Definition (MSH) | A genus of BROWN ALGAE in the family Laminariaceae. Dried pencil-like pieces may be inserted in the cervix where they swell as they absorb moisture, serving as osmotic dilators. |
| Concepts | Eukaryote (T204) |
| MSH | D007795 |
| English | Laminaria, Laminarias, laminaria, laminarias |
| Swedish | Laminaria |
| Czech | Laminaria |
| Finnish | Laminaari |
| Russian | LAMINARIIA, ЛАМИНАРИЯ |
| Japanese | ラミナリア, コンブ属, コンブ |
| French | Laminaire (algue), Laminaria |
| Polish | Laminaria |
| Norwegian | Laminaria |
| German | Laminaria |
| Italian | Laminaria |
| Dutch | Laminaria |
| Portuguese | Laminaria |
| Spanish | Laminaria |
Ontology: Lamicel (C0064630)
| Concepts | Biomedical or Dental Material (T122) |
| MSH | C034860 |
| English | lamicel, Lamicel |
Ontology: dilapan (C0174425)
| Concepts | Pharmacologic Substance (T121) , Organic Chemical (T109) |
| MSH | C077755 |
| English | dilapan |
