cerclage /serklāzh″/ [Fr, cask hooping] , 1. an orthopedic procedure in which the ends of an oblique bone fracture or the chips of a broken patella are bound together with a wire loop or a metal band to hold them in position until healed. 2. a procedure in which a taut silicone band is applied around the sclera to restore contact between the retina and the choroid when the retina is detached. 3. an obstetric procedure in which a nonabsorbable suture is used for holding the cervix closed to prevent spontaneous abortion in a woman who has an incompetent cervix. The band is usually released when the pregnancy is at full term to allow labor to begin. See also incompetent cervix.
