Hysterectomy Specialist

What is a hysterectomy?

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure in which part or all of a woman’s reproductive organs are removed. Women who have a hysterectomy are no longer able to become pregnant.  A hysterectomy is the most commonly performed non-obstetrical surgical procedure among women in the United States.

What gynecological problems might require a hysterectomy?

The procedure is used to treat a range of gynecological problems. These include:

• Pelvic pain
• Fibroids
• Heavy/painful periods
• Endometriosis
• Adenomyosis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Pelvic prolapse
• Cancers of the reproductive system

How is a hysterectomy performed?

This surgery can be performed a number of different ways, such as:

• Open incision. This is a totally old school approach that carries substantially more risk than newer methods, including a greater loss of blood, pain and longer recover time. Though it’s not the usual approach undertaken here at The Women’s Group, some 60% of all hysterectomies in the United States are still performed via open incision.
• Vaginal hysterectomy. In this approach, the uterus is removed through the vagina. While a better option than an open incision hysterectomy, a vaginal hysterectomy does not provide the surgeon with as good a view of the surgical field, including the ability to clearly see all surrounding organs, such as the bladder.
• da Vinci Robotic Surgery. This advanced surgical approach offers the patient substantial benefits. Because the da Vinci Robotic Surgery entails a minimal number of tiny incisions, it is far less invasive than open surgery, yet the surgeon still has a good view of the operating field, via an inserted camera that projects images onto a video monitor. Like traditional laparoscopy, da Vinci Robotic Surgery entails the use of slender instruments that are inserted through tiny incisions. However, in this case these instruments are attached to robotic arms that are manipulated with precision by the surgeon from a nearby computer. Hysterectomies performed with the da Vinci Robotic Surgery method entail a recovery time that is usually only a couple of weeks, plus usually no overnight stay in the hospital is required.