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What is a Hysterectomy?

Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure which removes some or all of a woman’s reproductive organs. These organs, which include the uterus, ovaries, cervix and fallopian tubes, are located in a woman’s lower abdomen. The ovaries produce eggs and hormones, the cervix is at the lower end of the uterus, the fallopian tubes transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus, and the uterus is where the baby grows during pregnancy.

There are three types of hysterectomy procedures: total, partial and radical. A total hysterectomy, which is the most common, removes the uterus and the cervix. A partial hysterectomy removes only the upper part of the uterus, but leaves the cervix in place. The radical procedure, which is often done in the case of cancer, removes the uterus, cervix, and upper part of the vagina. Depending on the problem, sometimes one or both ovaries are removed, as well as the fallopian tubes.

Female reproductive system.
Female reproductive system.

This procedure may be performed for a variety of reasons, the most common being fibroids on the uterus. Removing the uterus might also be done to relieve the symptoms of endometriosis, or for uterine prolapse, cancer, chronic pelvic pain or persistent vaginal bleeding. The most common type of procedure is the abdominal method, where an incision is cut in the abdomen. However, vaginal surgeries using a laparoscope are becoming more popular as the recovery time is much shorter. The recovery for an abdominal procedure is anywhere from four to eight weeks while the vaginal surgery usually finds a woman recovered in one or two weeks.

A patient is usually given general anesthesia for a hysterectomy.
A patient is usually given general anesthesia for a hysterectomy.

As with any surgery, a hysterectomy involves risks which include heavy blood loss, bowel injury, bladder injury, the need to change from vaginal to abdominal in the middle of the procedure, anesthesia difficulties, and healing problems. Even so, uterine removal is still the second most common surgery among women in the United States.

If a woman hasn’t reached menopause at the time of her hysterectomy, it will stop her period and she may experience menopausal symptoms such as decreased sexual desire, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. For many women, this prompts the question, are there options other than removing the uterus? The answer is often yes. For fibroids, endometriosis or uterine prolapse, some of the options are medication, endometrial ablation, uterine artery embolization, myomectomy, or vaginal pessary. Women should talk to their doctor about these nonsurgical treatments if a hysterectomy has been suggested.

If surgery has been prescribed, a woman should always get a second opinion, talk to her doctor about the options listed above, and educate herself about possible complications of the surgery. Every woman and every situation is different.

Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes

Paulla is a freelance writer and website editor who currently lives in Maine. Paulla has a B.A. in English Literature from George Mason University and over 15 years of experience as a freelancer. She relishes the flexibility and consistency of working on WiseGEEK articles, as well as the opportunity to constantly learn something new.

Learn more...
Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes

Paulla is a freelance writer and website editor who currently lives in Maine. Paulla has a B.A. in English Literature from George Mason University and over 15 years of experience as a freelancer. She relishes the flexibility and consistency of working on WiseGEEK articles, as well as the opportunity to constantly learn something new.

Learn more...

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    • Female reproductive system.
      By: chart
      Female reproductive system.
    • A patient is usually given general anesthesia for a hysterectomy.
      By: reflektastudios
      A patient is usually given general anesthesia for a hysterectomy.
    • A hysterectomy may be performed to relieve the symptoms of endometriosis.
      By: joshya
      A hysterectomy may be performed to relieve the symptoms of endometriosis.
    • A hysterectomy may cause a woman to experience some of the symptoms of menopause.
      By: rob3000
      A hysterectomy may cause a woman to experience some of the symptoms of menopause.
    • A woman may experience hot flashes following a hysterectomy.
      By: Ana Blazic Pavlovic
      A woman may experience hot flashes following a hysterectomy.