Overview
A hysterectomy is a surgery to remove a woman’s uterus. Other reproductive organs may also be removed during the procedure. A hysterectomy is a major surgery that can require a long recovery.
Partial Hysterectomy
There are three types of hysterectomy. A partial hysterectomy, also called a supracervical hysterectomy, is a procedure to remove the body of the uterus but not the cervix. It is most commonly used to treat benign conditions that cause pain or abnormal bleeding, such as fibroids, polyps and endometriosis.
Total Hysterectomy
A total hysterectomy is a procedure to remove the entire uterus and the cervix. It may be used to treat benign conditions that cause pain or abnormal bleeding, such as fibroids, polyps, and endometriosis. It may also be used to treat uterine, cervical or ovarian cancer. In some cases, both fallopian tubes (and sometimes the tubes and ovaries) are also removed during a total hysterectomy.
Radical Hysterectomy
A radical hysterectomy is a procedure to remove the upper part of the vagina, the cervix, the entire uterus, the fallopian tubes and ovaries, the lymph nodes and some surrounding tissue in the pelvic cavity. A radical hysterectomy may be used to treat cancer of the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes or ovaries.
Surgical Techniques for Hysterectomy A surgeon may perform a hysterectomy through an incision in the abdomen or the vagina. Surgeons may also operate through three or four tiny incisions on the abdomen with the aid of a laparoscope. Some surgeons combine the laparoscopic and vaginal incision techniques.
After a Hysterectomy
Recovery depends on the patient’s age, health, and the type of hysterectomy that was performed. If the patient had not reached menopause but had both ovaries removed, she may experience surgical menopause. This can result in hot flashes, mood swings and a change in sex drive. A woman who had a poor sex drive before the procedure because of pelvic pain and heavy bleeding may find that her sex life improves after a hysterectomy.
