Every year, half a million American women have a hysterectomy. As the second most common women’s surgery in the United States — the only female-only surgery performed more often is C-section delivery — this major operation is routinely done to treat:
Our team at Panhandle Obstetrics and Gynecology in Amarillo, Texas, typically recommends a hysterectomy only after other treatment options have failed to resolve your problem or deliver effective relief.
Here, our women’s wellness experts discuss the factors that determine when it’s time to consider an elective hysterectomy.
All hysterectomy procedures are done to address a life-threatening or health-diminishing gynecological condition. Depending on the problem being treated, your surgery may be relatively minimal or quite extensive.
A partial (supracervical) hysterectomy removes just the upper part of your uterus, while a total hysterectomy (the most common type) removes your entire uterus and cervix. When cancer is involved, it may be necessary to remove your ovaries and fallopian tubes too.
When part or all of your uterus is gone, your menstrual periods stop and you can no longer get pregnant. If your ovaries are also removed, you enter menopause abruptly and must start hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to counteract the sudden loss of estrogen.
In a medical emergency — such as when very fast, unstoppable uterine bleeding develops following childbirth — a hysterectomy can be a necessary, life-saving procedure. It can also be necessary and life-saving for advanced or aggressive reproductive cancers.
In most cases, a hysterectomy is done as an elective surgery, meaning you can weigh the pros and cons of having the procedure and decide if it’s the best approach for addressing your specific condition. You might consider a hysterectomy if:
It’s also important to ask your gynecologist about the benefits and downsides of having a hysterectomy for your specific condition and then frame that information within the context of understanding what you can expect if you choose not to have the procedure.
In many cases, a hysterectomy is curative. For example, it can fully resolve severe bleeding caused by large uterine fibroids. Sometimes, however, it’s not a cure-all. A hysterectomy can ease endometriosis pain, but endometrial implants can still return after surgery, even if you’ve also had your ovaries removed.
If early menopause is part of the equation, it’s important to understand how it might affect your physical health and mood as well as what you can expect with HRT.
As with any major procedure, you also want to consider the surgical risks of having a hysterectomy — like infection, bleeding, tissue damage, and blood clots — when you’re deciding whether it’s the right approach for you.
At Panhandle Obstetrics and Gynecology, we perform hysterectomies using minimally invasive laparoscopic methods and high-precision, robotic-assisted techniques whenever possible. This translates to reduced surgical risks, faster healing, and a quicker overall recovery for you.
Do you have questions about a hysterectomy? We have answers. Call 806-359-5468 to schedule a visit at Panhandle Obstetrics and Gynecology today.
