A hysterectomy is an operation to remove a woman's uterus. A woman may have a hysterectomy for different reasons, including:
- Uterine fibroids that cause pain, bleeding, or other problems
- Uterine prolapse, which is a sliding of the uterus from its normal position into the vaginal canal
- Cancer of the uterus, cervix, or ovaries
- Endometriosis
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Adenomyosis, or a thickening of the uterus
Hysterectomy is usually considered only after all other treatment approaches have been tried without success.
Depending on the reason for the hysterectomy, a surgeon may choose to remove all or only part of the uterus. Patients and health care providers sometimes use these terms inexactly, so it is important to clarify if the cervix and/or ovaries are removed:
- In a supracervial or subtotal hysterectomy, a surgeon removes only the upper part of the uterus, keeping the cervix in place.
- A total hysterectomy removes the whole uterus and cervix.
- In a radical hysterectomy, a surgeon removes the whole uterus, tissue on the sides of the uterus, the cervix, and the top part of the vagina. Radical hysterectomy is generally only done when cancer is present.
The ovaries may also be removed -- a procedure called oopherectomy -- or may be left in place.
* This operation had me really worried, all the old wives tales came out and I was in a spin. They say your hair goes grey, your vagina will dry up and you will look awful as your skin dries up.
Reality not wives tales is that I am totally fine. I have not seen any of these things happen and I am coping fine. I had everything removed. With a normal Hysterectomy they leave in an ovary. I have lost everything including cervix. Its up to you what you choose, I guess there are fores and against why you may need this. But I have a gene and the gyno and I thought this was best to take place. I had mine done by key hole surgery which was 4 incisions. They can do vaginal and also through your tummy. Recovery time is 6-8 weeks and I am doing great. Its been 2 years now since surgery.
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