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What is Hysterectomy? |
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A hysterectomy is an operation to remove a woman's uterus. A woman may have a hysterectomy for different reasons, including: |
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• Uterine fibroids that cause pain, bleeding, or other problems |
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• Uterine prolapse, which is a sliding of the uterus from its normal position into the vaginal canals |
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• Cancer of the uterus, cervix, or ovaries |
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• Endometriosis |
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• Abnormal vaginal bleeding |
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• Chronic pelvic pain |
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• Adenomyosis, or a thickening of the uterus |
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Types of Hysterectomy |
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Depending on the reason for the hysterectomy, a surgeon may choose to remove all or only part of the uterus. Patients and health care providers sometimes use these terms inexactly, so it is important to clarify if the cervix and/or ovaries are removed: |
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• In a supracervial or subtotal hysterectomy, a surgeon removes only the upper part of the uterus, keeping the cervix in place. |
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• A total hysterectomy removes the whole uterus and cervix. |
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• In a radical hysterectomy, a surgeon removes the whole uterus, tissue on the sides of the uterus, the cervix, and the top part of the vagina. Radical hysterectomy is generally only done when cancer is present. |
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