What is hysterectomy?

Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. More than 500,000 hysterectomies are performed in the US each year, and they are most often performed on women ages 35 to 44.

Reasons for having a hysterectomy:

The following are several possible causes or reasons for hysterectomy:

• fibroid tumors
  Non-malignant tumors may grow and become large, causing pressure on other organs and possibly heavy bleeding or pelvic pain.
• endometriosis
  Endometrial cells sometimes grow outside of the uterus, attach themselves to other organs in the pelvic cavity, and bleed each month in accordance with an ovarian cycle. This can result in chronic pelvic pain, pain during sex, and prolonged or heavy bleeding.
• endometrial hyperplasia
  A cause of abnormal bleeding, this over-thickening of the uterine lining is often due to the presence of very high levels of estrogen.
• cancer
  Approximately 10 percent of hysterectomies are performed to treat cancer - either cervical, ovarian, or endometrial.
• blockage of the bladder or intestines
  A hysterectomy may be performed if there is a blockage of the bladder or intestines by the uterus or a growth.

What are the different types of hysterectomy?

total hysterectomy
Includes the removal of the entire uterus, including the fundus (the part of the uterus above the openings of the fallopian tubes) and the cervix, but not the ovaries.

hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy
Includes the removal of one or both ovaries, and sometimes the fallopian tubes, along with the uterus.

radical hysterectomy
Includes the removal of the uterus, cervix, the top portion of the vagina, most of the tissue that surrounds the cervix in the pelvic cavity, and may include the removal of the pelvic lymph nodes.

supracervical hysterectomy (subtotal hysterectomy)
Removal of the body of the uterus while leaving the cervix intact.

What are the types of hysterectomy procedures?

abdominal hysterectomy
The uterus is removed through the abdomen via a surgical incision about six to eight inches long. This procedure is most commonly used when the ovaries and fallopian tubes are being removed, when the uterus is enlarged, or when disease has spread to the pelvic cavity - as in endometriosis or cancer. The main surgical incision can be made either vertically, which will run from about your navel down to your pubic bone, or horizontally, which will run along the top of the pubic hairline.

vaginal hysterectomy
The uterus is removed through the vaginal opening. This procedure is most often used in cases of uterine prolapse, or when vaginal repairs are necessary for related conditions. No external incision is made, which means there is no visible scarring.

laparoscopically-assisted vaginal hysterectomy
Vaginal hysterectomy is performed with the aid of a laparoscope. Thin tubes are inserted through tiny incisions in the abdomen near the navel. The uterus is then removed in sections through the scoping tube or through the vagina.