Marg helgenberger's - The Christ Hospital

By Marcia Bowling, MD
Taking the
mystery out
of hysterectomy
About one-third of American women will
eventually have a hysterectomy, the second
most common surgery after cesarean
section. Why so common? Basically,
hysterectomy can cure a variety of uterine problems:
✿ Fibroids. Hysterectomy is most often recommended
for serious cases of fibroids (benign tumors
that grow in the uterus wall). Fibroids can grow
large and may cause great pain and heavy bleeding.
Depending on the severity, physicians and patients
may decide to try treatments other than hysterectomy.
In a surgery called myomectomy, the fibroids
are removed but the uterus stays in place. Also, drug
therapy may shrink fibroids temporarily, and after
menopause, fibroids may shrink without treatment.
For serious cases, hysterectomy is often the best
choice because it’s a definite cure.
✿ Endometriosis. Hysterectomy can treat severe
cases of endometriosis, a common disease in which
tissue shed from the uterus grows outside the uterus,
causing pain and possibly leading to infertility. Drug
therapy can help but may not stop pain in serious cases.
✿ Prolapse. Many physicians recommend hysterectomy
for severe prolapse—a sagging of the uterus
into the vagina when the ligaments that support
the uterus get weak over time. These ligaments can
sometimes be shortened with surgery. In other cases,
physicians may place a pessary, or support ring,
around the cervix. If ligaments are badly damaged,
hysterectomy may be necessary.
✿ Gynecologic cancer. Hysterectomy is usually
required when a woman has cancer of the uterus or
cervix. The only real alternative is radiation therapy.
However, radiation therapy may not be as effective
and may involve many side effects.
Coping with change
After a hysterectomy, a woman may be emotionally
distraught. Some women identify the uterus with childbearing
and with their younger years, so it’s possible to
feel a sense of loss. Women need support and understanding
from family and friends and should talk with
their physicians about ways to cope with this change. WHT
Robotic-assisted
hysterectomy
If your physician recommends hysterectomy (or
if you need uterine fibroid removal or prolapse
treatment), you may be a candidate for a roboticassisted
procedure using the da Vinci ® Surgical
System. The system helps your surgeon perform
a more precise, minimally invasive hysterectomy
and can offer numerous potential benefits over
traditional surgical approaches, including:
• a shorter hospital stay
• less pain
• faster recovery
• a quicker return to normal activities
• less risk of wound infection
• less blood loss and scarring
Many different procedures are used to perform
hysterectomies. Be sure your physician is
experienced with several techniques so that the
best option can be chosen for you.
Suffer no more!
To learn how robotic-assisted gynecologic
surgery can help reduce your discomfort, visit
www.TheChristHospital.com or call 513-585-1000.
Marcia Bowling, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist with The Christ Hospital, specializes in treating gynecological cancers.
www.womenshealthexperience.com