Today, we know women are suffering from gynaecological conditions. These problems arise because of hormonal imbalances, lifestyle factors, and infections, which impact women’s reproductive health. One of them, from gynaecological conditions, hysterectomy is the second most common major surgery for women. Around 1.6 million hysterectomy surgeries were performed in 2016(according to the given data). In this blog, we will cover out all the topics related to types of surgery for hysterectomy.
Hysterectomy is a surgical operation of removing the uterus or a woman’s womb from its place of normal position. Besides removing the uterus, this usually involves the surgeon removing some other reproductive organs as well, among these are the fallopian tubes and ovaries. It means that you will not be able to conceive or have children, and there will be no menstrual periods after a hysterectomy.
Factors Affecting the Choice of Hysterectomy
Before going to surgery for hysterectomy, you need to remember the following factors affecting the choice of hysterectomy:
- Individual’s Surgery Reason: If an individual is suffering from cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, or uterine prolapse. Whenever other treatments don’t respond better, hysterectomy is one of the correct choices for patients.
- Age and Patient’s Overall Health: The patient’s previous or past conditions can affect the choice of hysterectomy, and also the age of the patient. Younger women may prefer to wait until after their menstrual period stops, but older women can affect the choice. If a woman suffers from higher BMI, she can choose the decision for abdominal hysterectomy surgery.
- Surgeon’s Skill and Expertise: The doctor shares with an individual what type of surgery is suitable for them, according to their health conditions. The surgeon’s skill and expertise help to find what type of surgery you want because they will suggest the best surgery, which can influence the decision. Also, clinical examination can influence the decision, ultrasound can help the most to find the deeper problem.
- Uterine Size and Ovarian Conditions: A large uterus may create problems and make a vaginal hysterectomy more difficult and point to an abdominal hysterectomy or laparoscopic hysterectomy surgery. Surgeons remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes alongside the uterus will often be necessary because it reduces the ovarian cancer risks.
Types of Surgery for Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy treatments are performed when other treatments have not worked, and urine removal is the only option. Here are some different types of surgery for hysterectomy. You can read below:
Total Hysterectomy
The entire uterus, including the cervix, is removed. This procedure is performed mostly for medical purposes, such as cervical cancer, uterine prolapse, heavy bleeding, and fibroids. They don’t menstruate, so they can’t get pregnant. It is performed by several more methods, which lead to the menopause.
Subtotal Hysterectomy
Supracervical or subtotal hysterectomy is another name for a partial hysterectomy that includes the uterus body (also known as the womb), and excludes the cervix. Most women who experience other oversized or painful periods choose this surgery. This may result in shorter recovery time and less risk of certain pelvic complications than with total hysterectomy.
Radical Hysterectomy
Radical Hysterectomy is the operation that can be used to treat many gynecological problems, such as cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, etc. The doctor removes the uterus, cervix, and vagina, along with some nearby connective tissues in a procedure. The doctor may also take out the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and lymph nodes.
Abdominal Hysterectomy
An abdominal hysterectomy is the process that involves the surgical removal of the uterus and cervix through a cut in the abdomen, and is also used for medical conditions such as cancer, fibroids. This surgery takes 6-12 weeks for fully recovery. To avoid risk, you need to take care of yourself from infections, injury, and bleeding.
Vaginal Hysterectomy
Vaginal hysterectomy treatment is a surgical process, typically removal of the uterus through the vagina, instead of an abdominal incision. This surgery takes 3-6 weeks for recovery and offers benefits such as faster recovery, minimal pain, and does not show any scars or stitches like in an abdominal hysterectomy.
Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
Laparoscopic hysterectomy is the process in which the surgeon removes the uterus through a small cut in the abdomen, instead of a large cut. The surgeon or a doctor uses a thin tube and can easily view the pelvic organs on a monitor with the help of light and a camera. After that, they will use a small instrument to remove and detach the uterus from their place.
Robot-Assisted Hysterectomy
In robotic hysterectomy, a surgeon uses robotic arms and instruments to remove the uterus from their place. This technique offers several benefits as compared to traditional open surgery, which include a 3D view of the surgical area, minimum blood loss, and help in reducing the pain.
Potential Risks and Complications of Hysterectomy
These types of gynecological surgery may cause some complications or risks, such as sudden vaginal bleeding, pain, discharge, and torn internal stitches after hysterectomy.
Common Risks of Hysterectomy
- Bleeding: Excessive bleeding is visible during the procedure, and a blood transfusion may be required sometimes.
- Infection: An infection may develop at the time of surgery, including vaginal cuff cellulitis and wound infection.
- Injury to other Reproductive Organs: The surgery may harm or injure some of the other reproductive organs in your pelvis, such as your bladder, intestines, nerves, or blood vessels.
After the surgery, the chances of long-term complications of hysterectomy may increase sometimes. Here we will share below:
- Hormonal Imbalances: When the surgeon removes the ovaries, of course, there are some changes that may be shown in hormones, because of hormonal imbalances, women feel a sudden drop in their love life. Sometimes hormones are disturbed and promote problems related to the heart, and women may feel depression, anxiety. So, always take care of yours and take a proper diet and exercise to balance your hormones.
- Menopause: The procedure of menopause refers to the surgical medical term, when the surgeon removes ovaries with the uterus and cervix, and menopause can happen. Menopause is basically when women no longer have a period, and they can’t get pregnant anymore. It creates long-term complications such as hot flashes, mood swings, and vaginal dryness. Concern your doctor for better recommendations.
Steps of Recovery or Aftercare for Hysterectomy
Most of the women recover after hysterectomy in four to six weeks. The steps you need to remember for recovery or aftercare for a hysterectomy are given below:
- Take Proper Rest: You need to take a proper rest, avoid heavy lifting, go for a short walk to manage blood clots.
- Manage Surgical Cuts/Incisions: You need to keep them clean and wash gently with water and soap and always monitor your surgical cuts to not promote any type of infection, swelling, and smell.
- Gradual Increase in Activity: You need to walk daily as a routine. In the starting days, you can walk slowly and gradually increase your walk as comfortable to you.
- Follow-up Appointments: Take your appointment with your doctor within 6 weeks and follow their guidelines for better relief.
- Focus on Emotional Recovery: Spend more time with your loved ones, and you can also do meditation for relaxation.
Alternatives to Hysterectomy
There are different types of hysterectomy surgery, some women choose surgical and some choose non-surgical methods. Most of the women choose alternative surgery to avoid any type of hormonal changes or major surgery, and to reduce emotional and psychological impact. There are mainly two types of alternatives to hysterectomy one is non-surgical methods and the second is surgical methods:
Non-Surgical Methods
Hormonal medications and non-hormonal medications are the options available. Hormonal therapy comprises oral contraceptives or birth control pills, such as a progesterone-releasing intrauterine device, and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), which may be used in managing heavy bleeding and also as a means of birth control.
Non-hormonal methods include iron supplements that will cure anemia due to heavy blood loss and tranexamic acid to be taken during the periods so that the heavy bleeding is slowed.
Surgical Methods
If you are suffering from heavy painful periods and excessive bleeding, or any other pelvic pain. You should know there are many alternatives to hysterectomy, such as myomectomy, uterine artery embolization, endometrial ablation, and focused ultrasound.
- Myomectomy: When fibroids are producing heavy bleeding, myomectomy is performed by a surgeon to remove fibroids.
- Uterine Artery Embolization: This process helps in blocking the arteries supplying blood to fibroids, which can help in managing and reducing bleeding
- Endometrial Ablation: This technique helps in removing or destroying the uterine line to reduce excessive bleeding.
- Focused Ultrasound: This technique uses focused sound waves to destroy the fibroid tissues.
Is India the Best for Hysterectomy Treatment?
Yes, India is well-known or famous for many treatments. If you are searching for hysterectomy treatment and are a little bit confused, where do you have to do it? So here you will find the best hysterectomy surgeons in India.
The starting cost of hysterectomy in India is about ₹50,000 to ₹2,00,000, approximately. The cost of a hysterectomy is based on different factors like the surgery used for the hysterectomy, location, hospital, and the surgeon’s skills, etc. Therefore, the cost will be changed according to the patient’s and doctor’s needs.
Conclusion
Hysterectomy helps women to live a new life without any pain. It is a major surgery, typically done whenever other treatments or surgeries don’t work. We discussed the different types of surgery for hysterectomy, which include factors that affect the choice of hysterectomy, risks and long-term complications, recovery after hysterectomy, and alternatives to hysterectomy.