Abdominal Hysterectomy

Women suffering from cervical and uterine cancer have the choice of survival from the cancer through abdominal hysterectomy. Besides cancerian causes, women suffering from bad pain due to endometriosis and heavy and irregular periods experience great relief through abdominal hysterectomy.

abdominal hysterectomy is the answer to fibroids

Basically, abdominal hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, through the abdomen, wherein a woman becomes sterile. It is also possible to have the operation done through the vagina, and this is called vaginal hysterectomy. The doctor helps you to decide on the best choice of operation depending on your cause for the operation and your medical history.


Abdominal hysterectomy is one of the most common surgeries performed in women. Women suffering from fibroids also benefit from abdominal hysterectomy as it offers a permanent solution from bleeding, anemia, bladder pressure and pelvic pain that are associated with fibroids. With abdominal hysterectomy, incontinence, pelvic pressure and irregular bowel movements associated with uterine prolapse are eradicated.

The procedure of abdonminal hysterectomy

Abdominal hysterectomy is performed with an incision in the abdomen. In the case of vaginal hysterectomy, the surgery is done through the vagina. In abdominal hysterectomy, the skin and connective tissues of the lower abdomen is cut to reach the uterus. This incision could be a vertical or horizontal incision. The vertical incision starts from the middle of the abdomen to just over the pubic bone. The horizontal incision is a bikini-line incision that is about an inch over the pubic bone

The advantage of the abdominal hysterectomy is that the uterus and other organs can be seen by the surgeon. This produces more room for operation, than in a vaginal hysterectomy. The surgeon usually opts for an abdominal hysterectomy if the patient suffers from large tumors or if she has cancer. However, with an abdominal hysterectomy, the hospital stay is longer and the patient suffers more pain than in a vaginal hysterectomy. And of course, there is the fact that the patient will have a scar that is visible on the abdomen.

The recovery process of hysterectomy

After abdominal hysterectomy, the patient has to stay in the hospital for 2 to 3 days. She is then monitored for any signs of pain or discomfort. Medications to prevent infection and for pain relief are administered orally or intravenously. There will be some bleeding for a few days after hysterectomy. It is generally advised to start walking to the bathroom within a few days of the surgery. Sometimes, a catheter is used for easy passing of urine.

However, though the hospital stay if only for a few days, you need lots of rest at home for about 1 to 2 months. Nothing heavy should be lifted for at least six weeks from the operation. It is also not advised to have sexual intercourse for 6 to 8 weeks after abdominal hysterectomy. A woman becomes menopausal after abdominal hysterectomy; this is why she is given estrogen replacement therapy for prevention from symptoms of menopause. It should be understood that abdominal hysterectomy does not affect the sexual life of a woman. Women with a good sex life before the operation continue, or even experience increased sexual pleasure after the operation.