What is a hysterectomy?

Hysterectomy comes from the Greek words ?hysteron? which means uterus or womb and ?ectomy? which means excision or removal.

A hysterecomy is a procedure which involves the removal of the uterus and is sometimes done along with an oophorectomy, which is the removal of the ovaries.

The female reproductive organs are made up of a uterus (womb), vagina, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The uterus is about the size of a pear. It is made of special muscle, and lies in the pelvis near to the bladder and rectum.

The uterus is where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. Sometimes the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and cervix are removed at the same time the uterus is removed. These organs are located in a woman’s lower abdomen. The cervix is the lower end of the uterus. The ovaries are organs that produce eggs and hormones. The fallopian tubes carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus.

Sub-total or partial hysterectomy involves the removal of the upper two-thirds of the uterus only, preserving the cervix, Fallopian tubes and ovaries. This procedure is not commonly performed.

Total hysterectomy involves the removal of the uterus and the cervix, while preserving the Fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Total hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy involves the removal of the uterus and cervix, together with one or both sets of ovaries and Fallopian tubes. When both sets are removed it is referred to as a total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

Radical or Wertheim?s hysterectomy involves the removal of the uterus, cervix, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, as well as nearby lymph nodes and the upper portion of the vagina. This type of hysterectomy is used in the treatment of gynaecological cancer.