Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy is surgery that removes the uterus. A surgeon reaches it through the abdomen, through the vagina, or through small keyhole cuts. Whether the ovaries come out as well is a separate decision.
The operation ends menstrual bleeding and it ends fertility. It does not remove endometriosis growing outside the uterus. Researchers have compared repeat surgery and pain after this operation by whether the ovaries were kept.1 Restorative surgery treats the cause and saves organs where it can. Myomectomy and excision come first in that frame.
Practice has moved. Inpatient hysterectomies in the United States fell 36.4 percent from their 2002 peak to 2010, and those done for endometriosis fell 65.3 percent.2
Cited in this entry
- Long AJ, Kaur P, Lukey A, Allaire C, Kwon JS, Talhouk A, Yong PJ, Hanley GE. Reoperation and pain-related outcomes after hysterectomy for endometriosis by oophorectomy status. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36029832/
- Wright JD, Herzog TJ, Tsui J, Ananth CV, Lewin SN, Lu YS, Neugut AI, Hershman DL. Nationwide trends in the performance of inpatient hysterectomy in the United States. Obstetrics and gynecology. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23969789/
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult an RRM clinician or healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation.