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When uterine-related health conditions haven’t responded to typical treatments, a hysterectomy is often the next step. A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that removes your uterus, or womb. In some cases, your cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries are removed as well.
Like any major surgery, there are some risks involved with getting a hysterectomy, which is why other treatments are tried first. However, if you can’t get relief from your medical condition through typical methods, the pros far outweigh any of the risks.
In addition, there are many surgical methods for hysterectomies available, some of which significantly reduce the risks involved with surgery.
At the Center for Women’s Health in Sugar Land and Richmond, Texas, our gynecology team includes skilled surgeons who have years of experience and training in performing hysterectomies. In this month’s blog, we discuss conditions a hysterectomy can address and the surgical methods that are available to you.
Who might need a hysterectomy?
A hysterectomy is a drastic and major surgery that removes your uterus, which means that you will no longer be able to get pregnant. For these reasons, it’s always recommended to try other treatments first. However, if your condition is severe, dangerous to your health, not responding to treatment, or significantly impacting your quality of life, a hysterectomy is a viable option.
You may benefit from a hysterectomy if you have any of the following conditions:
- Cervical, uterine, or ovarian cancer
- Uterine fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Abnormal or heavy vaginal bleeding
- Severe pelvic pain
- Uterine prolapse
- Hyperplasia, when the lining of your uterus is too thick
- Adenomyosis, when tissue starts growing in your uterine wall
If you’re at a very high risk for cancer, removing your uterus and other reproductive organs can significantly reduce your risk.
What are the options for a hysterectomy?
There are three different surgical approaches used for hysterectomies, and the type we use for yours depends on why you need the surgery and if your cervix, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries are being removed as well.
Let’s take a look at each one:
Laparoscopic hysterectomy
This approach is minimally invasive. Our team makes a few small incisions to allow access for a laparoscope, which is a tube attached to a light and camera. We then use the laparoscope to guide the surgical tools needed to remove your uterus.
This minimally invasive approach allows for fewer surgical risks, less postoperative pain, and a shorter recovery time.
Vaginal hysterectomy
As the name suggests, with a vaginal hysterectomy, a surgical incision is made in your vagina, and your uterus is removed through it. The incision site is then closed, leaving no visible scarring.
This approach is often an outpatient procedure and actually has the fewest complications and fastest recovery time.
Abdominal hysterectomy
During an abdominal hysterectomy, an incision up to eight inches long is made in your abdomen so our team can remove your uterus. This approach might be necessary if cancer is involved, your uterus is very enlarged, or disease has spread throughout your pelvis.
This approach is very invasive and requires a few days in the hospital and a long recovery time.
To learn if a hysterectomy might be right for you and which approach will be best, schedule a consultation by calling your nearest office location or using our online booking feature today.