What Is a Hysterectomy?
A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure in which a woman's uterus and sometimes her fallopian tubes and ovaries are removed. This major surgery is used to treat a variety of medical conditions, such as pelvic pain and fibrosis, and to remove potentially cancerous tissue. After a hysterectomy, a woman is not able to bear children, so the procedure is usually reserved for severe circumstances.
The Surgical Procedure
A hysterectomy is performed under general anesthesia, so the woman will not be conscious as the surgery is going on. Before surgery, her bladder is usually drained with a catheter, and the abdomen and vagina are cleaned. Most hysterectomies are abdominal hysterectomies, which access the uterus by cutting through the tissue of the lower part of the belly. Hysterectomies can also be vaginal, meaning the uterus is removed through the vagina, rather than an incision in the abdomen. Under either procedure, the surgeon will carefully sever the uterus, and possibly fallopian tubes, ovaries and the upper part of the vagina from the surrounding tissue and remove it from body. If the hysterectomy was performed through the abdomen, stitches or staples will be used to seal the incision.
Recovery
After the hysterectomy is complete, a patient will remain in recovery for several hours and may be administered drugs for pain. Usually, a patient will stay in the hospital a day or two after the surgery. Even after the incision is fully healed, a visible scar will remain for abdominal hysterectomies. It can take several months to recover from the surgery physically and even longer to recover emotionally. Some women suffer from depression and mood swings as a result of a hysterectomy, partially because of the physiological impact of losing fertility.
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