AllRefer Health - Caring for your Well Being

Home | About | FAQs | Contact Us

AllRefer Channels :: Yellow Pages | Reference | Health  

Surgeries & Procedures
Select & Go
 Diet & Nutrition
 Diseases & Conditions 
 Injuries & Wounds
 Poisons & Overdoses
 Surgery & Procedures 
 Symptoms Guide
 Special Topics
 Tests & Exams
 Pictures & Images
 Medical Encyclopedia

You are here : AllRefer.com > Health > Surgery & Procedures > Hysterectomy

Hysterectomy

Alternate Names : Vaginal hysterectomy, Abdominal hysterectomy, Supracervical hysterectomy, Radical hysterectomy, Removal of the uterus, Laparoscopic hysterectomy, Laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy, LAVH, Total laparoscopic hysterectomy, TLH, Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy, Robotically assisted hysterectomy

Definition

A hysterectomy is surgery to remove a woman’s uterus. It may be done through an incision (cut) in either the abdomen (belly) or the vagina.

Overview & Description

Your doctor will help you decide which type of hysterectomy is best for you. It will depend on your medical history and the reason for your surgery.

  • Abdominal hysterectomy: The surgeon makes a 5-inch to 7-inch incision (cut) in the lower part of your belly. The cut may go either up and down, or it may go across your belly, just above your pubic hair (a bikini cut).
  • Vaginal hysterectomy: The surgeon makes a cut in your vagina. Your uterus will be taken out through this cut. The cut in your vagina will be closed with stitches.
  • Laparoscopic hysterectomy: A laparoscope is a narrow tube with a tiny camera on the end. Your surgeon will make 3 to 4 small cuts in your belly. The laparoscope and other surgical instruments will be inserted through the other cuts. Your uterus will be cut into smaller pieces that your surgeon will remove through the small cuts.
  • Laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy: Your surgeon will remove your uterus through a cut inside your vagina. Your surgeon will also insert a laparoscope and other instruments into your belly through 2 or 3 small cuts.
  • Robotic surgery is like laparoscopic surgery, but a special machine is used. It is most often used when a patient has cancer or is very overweight and vaginal surgery is not safe.

During a hysterectomy, the whole uterus or just part of it may be removed. The fallopian tubes (the tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus) and ovaries may also be removed.

  • A partial (or supracervical) hysterectomy is removal of just the upper part of the uterus. The cervix is left in place.
  • A total hysterectomy is removal of the entire uterus and the cervix.
  • A radical hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus, the tissue on both sides of the cervix (parametrium), and the upper part of the vagina. This is done mostly when some cancers are present.
Why the Procedure Is Performed

There are many reasons a woman may need a hysterectomy. But, there may be ways to treat your condition that do not require this major surgery. Your condition may be helped with less invasive surgery. Talk with your doctor about your treatment options.

After having their uterus removed, many women will notice changes both in their body and in how they feel about themselves. Talk with your doctor, your family, and your friends about these possible changes before you have surgery.

Hysterectomy may be recommended for:

Depending on the condition, other, less invasive treatments may be possible. See also:

Pictures & Images

Pelvic laparoscopy
Pelvic laparoscopy

Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy

Uterus
Uterus

Hysterectomy  - series
Hysterectomy - series

 
      See all Pictures & Images


Quick Jump
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Next
Before the Procedure

Jump To Another Page

Review Date : 2/10/2010
Reviewed By : Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Main Page of Hysterectomy



    Featured Topics    

Allergies

Breast Cancer

Depression

Diabetes

High Blood Pressure

Weight Management

ADAM

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial reviewers. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2003 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.
This site complies to the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
Copyright © 2011 AllRefer.com All Rights reserved.
Health Topics: 0-9 A-AID Air-Aor Aor-Azo B-Blo Blo-Bys C-Cha Cha-Col Col-CSF CSF-Cyt D-Dis Dis-Dys E-Ess Est-Eye F-FSP FTA-Fus G H-Her Her-Hys I-Iod Ion-Ivy J K L-Luc Lud-Lym M-Min Min-Myx N O P-Pes Pes-Pre Pre-Pyr Q R-Rig Rig-RVA s-SID SID-Spu Spu-Sys T-Too Too-Typ U V W X Y Z
About Us | Help | Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy | Advertising Policy | Accessibility | Terms of Use
Contact Us | Link to Us | User Satisfaction Survey | Healthopedia.com
Page Last Updated: 26 May, 2012