Hysterectomy “Hot Sheet”

Simply put, a hysterectomy is an operation to remove a woman’s uterus, or womb.

Did you know that a hysterectomy is the second most common operation for U.S. women? (C-sections are the most common.) In fact, 600,000 hysterectomies a year are performed in the U.S. And by age 60, one out of three women in the U.S. has had a hysterectomy.

Hysterectomy Definitions

If you’re thinking about having the surgery, you may be a little intimidated by all the medical language. So let’s start with a few definitions. If you need a refresher on female anatomy, this site has a great drawing. Have a look at it and then come back here…. I’ll wait for you!

The ovaries are small organs, one on each side of the uterus, which produce eggs and female hormones.

The fallopian tubes carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus.

The uterus (or womb) is where the baby grows during pregnancy. That’s why this operation has a big emotional impact on so many women.

Which organs will be removed?

I think one of the most confusing things to figure out is the alphabet soup into which you’ve just splash-landed: TAH BSO, LAVH, LSH … and many more.

Okay, let’s sort it all out.

Hysterectomies are described in two ways: by which organs are removed, and by how the surgery is performed.

Here are the possibilities categorized by organs….

Total Hysterectomy (also known as Complete Hysterectomy)
Uterus + Cervix are removed
This is the most common type of hysterectomy.
The ovaries and Fallopians Tubes may or may not be removed in a total hysterectomy.

Partial or Subtotal Hysterectomy
The cervix stays in place. Only the upper part of the Uterus is removed.

Radical Hysterectomy
Uterus + Cervix + upper part of the Vagina + surrounding tissues are removed
This form of hysterectomy is done in some cases of cancer.

Removal of Ovaries and Fallopian Tubes
Now, here’s a mouthful: Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO). Let’s decipher it.

In medical lingo, anything to do with the ovary is called “oopher” while the tube is known as the “salpinx” (from the Greek word for trumpet). Bilateral means “on both sides.” So, removing both tubes and ovaries is called a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, or “BSO”. A BSO may (or may not) be done with any type of hysterectomy: total, partial or radical.

Like many women, I had a TAH BSO, or Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

Hysterectomy Characterized by How the Surgery is Performed

The TAH (or Total Abdominal Hysterectomy) requires a four to six inch incision in the abdomen. A Vaginal Hysterectomy is, of course, done through the vagina. The LAVH (or Laparoscopic-Assisted Vaginal Hysterectomy) may be done through the vagina or the navel. And the LSH (Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy) is done with tiny incisions in the abdomen or navel.

The newest type of hyst is the Robotic or Da Vinci hysterectomy. This style is not yet widely available, but sounds like the way of the future.