The invention relates to a method for carrying out work on a metal turbine engine rotor, such as a drum, in order to maintain the rotor operational, consisting in: grinding an upstream and/or downstream face (343) of a circumferential groove (34) of the rotor, said face having recessed marks that the grinding is intended to remove or at least blur; and placing foils (43) in the groove between the blades of the rotor (24) and the rotor, at least in the area where the face has been ground.