Hysterectomy (Uterus Removal): Procedure, Benefits & Recovery

Purpose of a Hysterectomy (Uterus Removal)

Medical experts perform hysterectomies to treat the following:

• Vaginal bleeding that is excessive or abnormal and cannot be addressed in any other way
• Significant menstruation discomfort that is unresponsive to medical intervention
• Benign tumors that include uterine fibroids and leiomyomas
• Uterus-related pelvic pain has gotten worse that is unresponsive to treatment
• Uterine prolapse, where the uterus "dropped" into the vaginal canal as a result of weaker support muscles, resulting in urinary incontinence or bowel obstruction
• Malignancies that have the potential to spread, including those of the uterus or the cervical area
• Conditions associated with the uterine lining include hyperplasia, recurring uterine polyps, and adenomyosis.

Procedure during a Hysterectomy (Uterus Removal)

Your healthcare professional may conduct a hysterectomy using one of numerous distinct surgical techniques, including:

Hysterectomy through vagina

• Through a cut at the top of your vagina, your uterus is removed. 
• Your vagina receives dissolvable sutures.
• Most frequently applied to noncancerous (or benign) disorders like uterine prolapse.
• The favored method is regarded to have the fewest difficulties and the fastest recovery (up to four weeks).
• On the day following surgery, many patients return home.

A laparoscopic hysterectomy

• A tiny incision is made in your belly button to introduce a laparoscope, a thin tube with a video camera on the end, into your lower abdomen.
• Through several further tiny incisions, surgical instruments are introduced.
• Small incisions in the belly or a vagina can be used to remove your uterus in segments.
• Some patients leave the hospital the same day or after spending the night there.
• Compared to an abdominal hysterectomy, full recovery takes less time and hurts less.

Hysterectomy with laparoscopic robotic assistance

• The surgery is carried out by your surgeon with the aid of a robotic device.
• Your abdomen is opened up and a laparoscope is introduced to observe your pelvic region.
• Three to five small incisions are made around your belly button to introduce tiny, thin surgical instruments. The surgeon is in charge of robotic arms and equipment.
• Similar to a laparoscopic hysterectomy, the recovery is quick.

Abdominal hysterectomy

• A six to eight-inch is cut within your abdomen (either your pubic bone to your belly button or the top of your visible hairline) to remove your uterus. 
• Incisions are closed by the surgeon using stitches or staples.
• Most frequently applied when uterine enlargement, malignancy, or the spread of illness to other pelvic regions are involved.
• In most cases, a lengthier hospital stay (two or three days) and a longer recuperation period are needed.

A hysterectomy takes one to three hours to perform. Your uterus's size, the need to remove scar tissue from previous procedures, and whether or not other tissues, such as endometrial tissue, and other organs (like your fallopian tubes or ovaries), are being removed at the same time as your uterus can all affect how long the procedure takes.