Many women are understandably ambivalent and anxious when told that they may need to undergo hysterectomy. The term hysterectomy often conjures up images of large abdominal cut, prolonged recovery, and anecdotal stories of emotional, psychological, sexual, and hormonal disturbance. When carefully considered and performed for the right indication, hysterectomy can significantly improve the quality of life for many women.
What is a hysterectomy?
Hysterectomy is major operation for removal of the uterus.
What are the indications for hysterectomy?
- to relieve pain caused by conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis or pelvic infection
- to alleviate excessive menstrual bleeding
- to relieve pelvic pressure caused by fibroids
- as a treatment for certain cancer of the uterus and ovaries.
What are the methods of hysterectomy?
The 3 main methods of hysterectomy are vaginal, abdominal and laparoscopic. Currently, the abdominal route remains the most common method of hysterectomy. This means a long abdominal incision and a hospital stay of 5-7 days. The laparoscopic route, performed through 3-4 small skin incisions, is a safe and effective alternative method to abdominal surgery. The vaginal route is suitable where the uterus is prolapsed and not too large in size.
What are the benefits of laparoscopic hysterectomy?
The benefits of laparoscopic hysterectomy are well demonstrated in terms of small incisions, less post-operative pain, quicker recovery. See FAQ on Laparoscopic surgery for more details.
What are the risks of laparoscopic hysterectomy?
In general, the risks are no different from abdominal or vaginal methods. There is some concern that bladder or ureteric injury may be more common in laparoscopic compared to abdominal hysterectomy. At CARE, our clinical research reveals that laparoscopic hysterectomy in experienced hands results in comparable or even significantly better and safer outcomes when compared with vaginal and abdominal hysterectomy results published in the literature.
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