About one in five women has a hysterectomy, or removal of their uterus. Some women get back on their feet in a few weeks, while for others, full healing can take months. A hysterectomy isn’t the kind of procedure you bounce back from overnight — your body is going to need rest and a solid recovery plan — but the outcome is likely worth it.
Are you interested in a hysterectomy for medical reasons, symptom relief, or a form of permanent birth control? Our skilled OB/GYN physicians at Women’s Health Services in Arlington or Grand Prairie, Texas, help you determine if the procedure is right for you.
A hysterectomy is a surgery that removes your uterus and often your cervix. Your provider might also remove your ovaries and fallopian tubes during the procedure, depending on the reason for your surgery.
Numerous types of hysterectomies are available. About 600,000 women get hysterectomies yearly in the United States.
Common reasons for this procedure include heavy or abnormal uterine bleeding, endometriosis, pelvic pain, uterine fibroids, uterine rupture during childbirth, or uterine prolapse causing fecal or urinary incontinence.
You might need a hysterectomy because of uterine, ovarian, or cervical cancer — or as a cancer prevention strategy. A hysterectomy is a permanent form of birth control for women who don’t want to become pregnant in the future.
What to expect after a hysterectomy depends on the specific procedure you undergo. Some surgeries require longer hospital stays and more downtime.
Hysterectomies generally take 1-3 hours to complete. Your provider numbs the area and offers you a sedative to help you relax, or general anesthesia to put you to sleep. Then your surgeon completes your hysterectomy using one of the following methods:
During an abdominal hysterectomy, your surgeon makes a 6-8-inch incision in your abdomen and removes your uterus during open surgery. You might need to stay up to several days in the hospital, and recovery time is often 4-6 weeks (sometimes longer).
During a vaginal hysterectomy, your surgeon removes your uterus through your vagina without any abdominal incisions. The recovery period is often 3-4 weeks, and you can usually go home the same day as surgery.
During a vaginal laparoscopic hysterectomy, your surgeon inserts a laparoscope (a thin, lighted tube with a camera) into your lower abdomen using a vaginal incision. They remove your uterus through your vagina without abdominal incisions. You can often go home the same day as surgery, and recovery time is about 3-4 weeks.
Your surgeon makes a small incision near your belly button, inserts a laparoscope into your lower abdomen, and uses surgical tools to remove your uterus in pieces through abdominal incisions or your vagina during an abdominal laparoscopic hysterectomy. You might go home the same day as surgery or spend a night in a surgery center. Recovery time is 2-4 weeks.
A robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy is similar to an abdominal laparoscopic hysterectomy. It’s a procedure in which your surgeon inserts a laparoscope through small abdominal incisions and uses tiny robotic arms to assist in removing your uterus. The recovery time afterward is typically 2-4 weeks.
Our Women’s Health Services experts determine if you’re a candidate for a hysterectomy based on your medical history, symptoms, and the reason you desire (or need) the procedure.
They let you know which type of surgery best matches your goals and what your estimated recovery time will likely be. Count on 2-6 weeks, depending on your health history and the specific procedure you undergo.
Contact our office most convenient to you by phone or online today to schedule your hysterectomy evaluation.
