Frequently Asked Questions
A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, resulting in inability to become pregnant. It may be performed through the abdomen or the vagina.
In this operation, only the upper part of the uterus is removed, but the cervix
is not. Tubes and ovaries may or may not be removed. This procedure is always
done through the abdomen. Leaving the cervix may help with later sexual
enjoyment. After this operation, a woman still needs to have regular Pap smears
to prevent cervical cancer.
This operation involves removing both the body of the uterus and the cervix,
which is the lower part of the uterus. Hysterectomy can sometimes be done
through the vagina (vaginal hysterectomy); at other times, a surgical incision
in the lower belly (abdominal hysterectomy) is preferable. For example, if you
have large fibroid tumors, it is difficult to safely remove the uterus through
the vagina.
Vaginal hysterectomy, when it can safely be performed, generally involves
fewer complications, a shorter recovery period and no visible scar.
"Complete hysterectomy" is a common non-medical term that usually means a
total hysterectomy plus removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
This procedure is reserved for serious disease such as cancer. The entire
uterus and usually both tubes and ovaries as well as the pelvic lymph nodes are
removed through the abdomen. Since cancer is unpredictable, other organs or
parts of other systems are sometimes removed as well.
Caesarian Section is a form of childbirth in which a surgical incision is made through a mother's abdomen (laparotomy) and uterus (hysterotomy) to deliver one or more babies. It is usually performed when a vaginal delivery would lead to medical complications.
An elective is where the operation is planned in advance
emergency is were the mother-to-be has gone into labour and then been advised for medical reasons for her or the baby to have a caesarian.
See wikipedia
- The classical section involves a midline longitudinal incision which allows a larger space to deliver the baby. However, it is rarely performed today as it more prone to complications.
- The lower segment section is the procedure most commonly used today; it involves a transverse cut just above the edge of the bladder and results in less blood loss and is easier to repair.
- A post pregnancy hysterectomy (caesarean hysterectomy) consists of a caesarean section followed by the removal of the uterus. This may be done in cases of intractable bleeding or when the placenta cannot be separated from the uterus.
Acute Post Haemorrhagic Anaemia is when the haemoglobin (hb) which carries the oxygen around the blood stream is dangerously low.
aka Female genital mutilation
aka Female circumcision
vaginal closure - is another procedure that is rarely done. It closes off the vagina by stitching the front and back walls together, leaving two pencil-width channels on either side. The operation is performed vaginally and can be done using a local anaesthetic or epidural. It is only offered as a treatment option for women who have severe prolapse, are too frail to undergo any other surgical treatment and are absolutely certain they don't ever want to have sexual intercourse again. Once the vagina is sewn up, penetrative sex is no longer possible, and a vault prolapse may still recur - falling through what remains of the vagina.
Colpectomy means surgically removing the vagina
Colporrhaphy which means to cut the vaginal lengthwise and resew it tighter or narrowing it
Female genital mutilation (often referred to as "FGM") is a collective term used for a range of practices involving the removal or alteration of parts of healthy female genitalia. Different degrees of mutilation are practised by a variety of cultural groups in the UK. Circumcision involves the removal of the head of the clitoris, with the body of the clitoris left intact, although this term is often euphemistically used to cover a range of forms of mutilation. The two most common forms of mutilation are excision and infibulation. Excision involves total or partial removal of the prepuce, clitoris and/or labia minora. Infibulation is the total amputation of all of the external genitalia together with the stitching together of the remainder of the labia majora leaving only a matchstick-sized opening for the passage of urine and of menstrual blood. Other mutilations include pricking, piercing or stretching of the clitoris and/or labia, cauterisation by burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissues, scraping of the vaginal orifice or cutting of the vagina, and introduction of corrosive substances into the vagina to cause bleeding or herbs into the vagina with the aim of tightening or narrowing it. The age at which such procedures are carried out varies from a few days old to just before marriage.
Channel4, The day I will never forget : dealt with the subject FGM
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