Hysterectomy
Alternate Names : Abdominal Hysterectomy, Removal of the Uterus, Vaginal Hysterectomy
Definition A hysterectomy is a surgical removal of the uterus, resulting in the inability to become pregnant (sterility). It may be done through the abdomen or the vagina.
Pictures & Images
 See all Pictures & Images
Overview & Description
Hysterectomy is a very common operation. The uterus may be completely or partially removed, and the tubes and ovaries may also be removed at the time of hysterectomy. A partial (or supracervical) hysterectomy is removal of just the upper portion of the uterus, leaving the cervix intact.
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.
A hysterectomy may be done through an abdominal incision (abdominal hysterectomy), a vaginal incision (vaginal hysterectomy), or through laparoscopic incisions (small incisions on the abdomen -- laparoscopic hysterectomy).
Your physician will help you decide which type of hysterectomy is most appropriate for you, depending on your indication for surgery and your medical history.
|
