When might I need a hysterectomy?
In most cases, a hysterectomy is the last treatment considered after all other nonsurgical treatments have failed to relieve your symptoms.
However, your doctor at North County Women’s Specialists may recommend a hysterectomy as your first treatment if you have gynecologic cancer.
A few examples of noncancerous conditions that may require a hysterectomy include:
- Uterine fibroids: benign growths that develop from muscle tissue in your uterus
- Endometriosis: tissue similar to the endometrium that lines your uterus grows outside the uterus
- Uterine prolapse: weak pelvic floor muscles allow the uterus to drop out of its normal position
- Abnormal uterine bleeding: heavy or long menstrual periods
- Adenomyosis: uterine lining grows into the muscular uterine wall
Of all the hysterectomies performed in the United States, 5-21% are for cancer. The rest are for noncancerous growths and other gynecological conditions.
What are the different types of hysterectomies?
When you need a hysterectomy, your doctor at North County Women’s Specialists recommends one of three types, depending on your underlying condition:
- Total hysterectomy: the entire uterus and cervix are removed
- Partial hysterectomy: the upper part of the uterus is removed; the cervix stays intact
- Radical hysterectomy: the entire uterus, cervix, and upper part of your vagina are removed
Your doctor may also remove one or both ovaries and fallopian tubes, if needed, during any type of hysterectomy.
How is a laparoscopic hysterectomy performed?
The experienced doctors at North County Women’s Specialists perform your hysterectomy using minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.
Laparoscopic surgery uses five very small incisions and specialized surgical tools inserted through narrow tubes. One of the tools, the laparoscope, contains fiber-optic lighting and a high-definition camera that provides a magnified view of the structures inside your body.
All of the doctors at North County Women’s Specialists are experts in laparoscopic surgery. Four members of the team specialize in robotic-assisted laparoscopy using the da Vinci® Surgical System.
As they control the da Vinci, the doctors operate with exceptional precision because the robotic arms have a greater range of motion and flexibility than human wrists and hands.
What are the benefits of a minimally invasive hysterectomy?
Small incisions cause less trauma, so you gain benefits such as:
- Less bleeding
- Lower risk of complications
- Reduced postoperative pain
- Faster healing
- Earlier return to your usual activities
- Minimal scarring
In most cases, a laparoscopic hysterectomy is performed as an outpatient, so you won’t have to spend several days in the hospital.
When you need a hysterectomy, call North County Women’s Specialists or book an appointment online.
