Hysterectomy

Why a hysterectomy?

Hysterectomy was once the only option for treating serious conditions affecting reproductive health. Today it is the second most common operation performed in the United States, with 570,000 women in this country undergoing hysterectomies each year.

While many women have more alternatives now, the operation may be recommended for a number of problems affecting the female pelvic organs, such as severe pain or bleeding. It may be the only cure for serious cases of cancer of the cervix, ovaries or uterus.

The type of hysterectomy you have will depend on your diagnosis. In some cases, including cancer, the ovaries and other organs are removed along with the uterus. Yale-New Haven Hospital provides patient pathways that include a description of your hospitalization for:

• Total abdominal hysterectomy (pdf, 86 bytes, 2 pp.)
• Total abdominal hysterectomy with lymph node sampling and omentectomy (pdf, 88 bytes, 2 pp.)
• Radical hysterectomy (pdf, 89 bytes, 2 pp.)

To open pdf documents like those above, your computer must have installed Adobe Acrobat Reader. If Acrobat Reader is installed, simply click on the document and it will open in Reader. If you cannot access pdf documents, E-mail us, specifiy the pathway you need and your mailing address and we'll send you the pathway in hard copy. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free at http://www.adobe.com:80/products/acrobat/readermain.html

Information on the most common diagnoses that prompt hysterectomy is available at the Yale New Haven Health Information Library. These diagnoses include:

• Adenomysis
• Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
• Endometriosis
• Uterine fibroids

Last revised: October 5, 2004 (jj)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.