Abdominal removal of uterus with removal of tubes and/or ovaries using an endoscope

Procedure Information

What is abdominal removal of the uterus with the removal of tubes and/or ovaries using an endoscope?

Abdominal removal of the uterus, also known as abdominal hysterectomy, is a procedure used to remove the uterus through a surgical incision in the lower abdomen.  The procedure, sometimes, involves the removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes. This is called total hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy.

Why would I get this procedure?

Your doctor may recommend an abdominal hysterectomy if you have:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding that medications can’t manage.
• Severe endometriosis, which is uterine tissue outside the uterus, causes severe pain and bleeding during menstruation.
• Leiomyomas, also known as uterine fibroids, are benign masses of the uterus’s muscle layer and can cause pain and bleeding that may require a hysterectomy.
• Uterine prolapse, a condition that happens when the uterus protrudes into the vagina because of weak abdominal muscles.
• Uterine or cervical cancer or precancerous lesions are common indications for hysterectomy. 

You should know that by removing the uterus, you won’t be able to become pregnant. As a result, you should discuss other alternatives with your surgeon if you want to become a mother.

What happens during the procedure?

The procedure is done under general anesthesia, so you won’t be awake during the surgery and won’t remember anything related to it. The surgery lasts anywhere from one to three hours depending on your case.

Before the procedure, a urinary catheter will be inserted into your bladder to empty your bladder. The surgeon then will make an incision in your lower abdomen. The incision can be vertical (starts in the middle of your abdomen until it reaches just below your navel) or horizontal (a bikini-line incision that lies just above your pubic bone).

The type of incision made depends on many factors like the size of your uterus and the presence of any scars from prior abdominal surgeries. 

Your surgeon will clamp the uterine vessels and remove the uterus from the surrounding tissues and any other organs as planned.

What to expect after the procedure?

Your healthcare team will move you to the recovery room for few hours until the effect of anesthesia wears off. Expect to go home the next day after the surgery. 

Pain and discomfort are also expected, and pain medications prescribed by your doctor can manage them. Also, bloody vaginal discharge is normal for the first few days to weeks after the procedure.

Conclusion

Before your uterus is removed, you won’t have periods or get pregnant after the procedure. Furthermore, if your ovaries are removed along with the uterus, this means that you will begin your menopause right after the surgery.

The reason is that ovaries are responsible for secreting estrogens and progesterone. During menopause, the ovaries no longer have the capability to ovulate and secrete any hormones. Consequently, ovaries removal, even if you haven’t reached menopause age, is the same as reaching menopause. As a result, symptoms related to menopause like vaginal dryness, night sweats, and hot flashes are expected in ovaries removal.

If your ovaries weren’t removed, they would continue to secrete hormones, and you won’t reach menopause until it naturally comes.

You may need six weeks until you resume sexual activity. Hysterectomy won’t affect your sexual function or desire.

Citations

Mayo Clinic: Vaginal hysterectomy

Cleveland Clinic:

Hysterectomy