Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that form within the muscular walls of the uterus. However, most fibroids are small, do not cause symptoms and do not require treatment. For those that do, treatment choice depends on the size, position, and symptoms caused by the fibroids. Heavy menstrual bleeding may be due to fibroids, adenomyosis, cancers, bleeding disorders, other medical conditions and also unknown causes.
Alternative treatment to a hysterectomy for heavy bleeding may include:. Since the introduction of the levonorgestrel-releasing IUD and endometrial ablation to treat heavy or irregular periods, hysterectomy rates have reduced. Alternative treatment to a hysterectomy for uterine prolapse depends on the degree of prolapse, but may include:.
For endometriosis , alternative treatment to a hysterectomy may include hormonal therapies, surgical removal of areas of endometriosis, or a combination of both. If, after talking about all the options with your doctor, you choose to have a hysterectomy, your doctor should discuss several things with you before the operation. You will have a range of tests before your hysterectomy, including a complete blood-count test to check for problems such as anaemia deficiency in red blood cells or haemoglobin.
The operation may be performed via an incision cut in your lower abdomen abdominal hysterectomy , three to four small incisions in your abdomen laparoscopic hysterectomy , or through your vagina vaginal hysterectomy.
For an abdominal hysterectomy, the surgeon usually makes a horizontal cut along your pubic hairline your pubic hair may have been shaved around the incision. For most women, this leaves a small scar. Some women may need a vertical midline incision in the lower abdomen, especially if the hysterectomy is for a large uterine fibroid. An abdominal hysterectomy is generally recommended when a woman has very large fibroids or cancer.
For a laparoscopic hysterectomy, the surgeon inserts a telescope laparoscope to see your pelvic organs through a small incision in your navel, and makes another three or four small incisions through which other instruments are used. Carbon dioxide gas is used to distend inflate your abdomen, like a balloon, so all of your organs can be clearly seen. The surgeon then removes the uterus, with or without fallopian tubes and ovaries, through the vagina.
If the top of the vagina is sutured stitched through keyhole incisions, the operation is called a total laparoscopic hysterectomy. If the gynaecologist stitches the top of the vagina through the vagina, it is called a laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy. A vaginal hysterectomy is performed through an incision at the top of the vagina. It is usually performed where there is a uterine prolapse the cervix and uterus come down into the vagina, or protrude out of the vaginal entrance.
With good pain relief, recovery may be similar for all forms of the hysterectomy. Although, more care is required regarding the pelvic floor, urination and bowel function after vaginal hysterectomy. It is important to start pelvic floor and abdominal exercises within the first few weeks after surgery. These exercises strengthen the muscles in your pelvis, and help maintain normal bladder function and vaginal muscle tone.
If it is decided that your ovaries need to be removed during the hysterectomy, women can explore the option of cryopreserving eggs first. Donating your eggs will be based on age — as you are not able to donate eggs at 40 years of age or later. Fertility tests will check your ovarian reserve to determine if a successful retrieval can be completed. An ovarian ultrasound will evaluate the condition and location of your ovaries.
Hormone levels will also be tested to decide where you are in your cycle so that the egg stimulation and retrieval can be scheduled. Consult with the leading egg donor agency to learn more about egg donation after a hysterectomy.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The incision is made either horizontally, across the top pubic hairline, where the scar hardly shows afterward, or vertically, between the navel and the pubic hairline. Vertical incisions tend to heal more slowly. Vaginal hysterectomy has the advantage of a shorter recovery period and faster healing.
Laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy LAVH enables the surgeon to see an image of the pelvic cavity without the downside of a large incision. Mistakes during surgery can result in permanent urinary tract difficulties. Other disadvantages include a possible shortening of the vagina, which can result in painful intercourse afterward and temporary but severe back pain.
Minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques where the pelvic organs are visualized through a small scope placed through the belly button are used more frequently now to avoid the long recovery and large scar associated with the abdominal approach. Because only small incisions are required, the recovery is dramatically better. Just be sure to find a surgeon experienced in these relatively new techniques. Although the death rate from hysterectomy is low under one percent , surgical complications include the following:.
Less common surgical complications include blood clots, complications from the anesthesia, and intestinal obstruction from post-surgical scarring.
For those of us who are in our early forties or younger, removal of the uterus and ovaries may increase the risk of heart attack. Even if our ovaries are not removed, there is an increased chance of an earlier menopause. This is usually due to the decreased supply of blood to the ovaries, so that they lose their ability to produce hormones, either immediately or over time. Many physicians assure us that we can avoid these risks by taking estrogen, but estrogen therapy does not substitute for functioning ovaries.
However, new research indicates that removal of healthy ovaries has adverse long-term health consequences for women and ovarian conservation should be encouraged. For more information, see Hysterectomy and Ovarian Conservation. Hormonal effects of hysterectomy with oophorectomy vary from one woman to the next. Some women suffer severe hot flashes and lack of lubrication.
Let me know if you need any help finding a surrogate program that works for you and your husband. Next Post ». Marital status? Can I donate eggs after a hysterectomy? May 7, by William Houghton No Comments. My husband and I are now considering a family through surrogacy, but we want to both be genetic parents to our baby.
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