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Box 24-2

  • Use a curette which is of appropriate size for the lesion.
  • Stretch the skin with the non-dominant hand and keep firm control of the curette to avoid unintended scraping of normal skin.
  • Send the sample for histology but clearly state on the request that it is a curetted specimen.
  • Consider shaving off the specimen first to provide a solid sample for diagnosis before commencing curettage and electrocautery. Pathologists prefer this to curetted fragments.