Hysterectomy-Abdominal Approach
A Hysterectomy-Abdominal Approach is an open surgery to remove a woman’s uterus. This is the most common approach to hysterectomy, accounting for about 65% of all procedures. Depending on the reason for the hysterectomy, a surgeon may choose to remove all or only part of the uterus.
- Uterine fibroids that cause pain, bleeding, or other problems
- Uterine prolapse, which is a sliding of the uterus from its normal position into the vaginal canal
- Cancer of the uterus, cervix, or ovaries
- Endometriosis
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Adenomyosis, or a thickening of the uterus
Before the Procedure
Always tell your health care provider or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription.
During the days before the surgery:
- You may be asked to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), warfarin (Coumadin), and any other drugs that make it hard for your blood to clot.
- Ask your health care provider which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.
On the day of your surgery:
- You very often will be asked not to drink or eat anything for 6 – 12 hours before the surgery.
- Take the drugs your health care provider told you to take with a small sip of water. Your health care provider or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.
Hysterectomy-Abdominal Approach Surgery
To perform an abdominal hysterectomy, a surgeon makes a 5- to 7-inch incision, either up-and-down or side-to-side, across the belly. The surgeon then removes the uterus through this incision.
On average, a woman spends more than three days in the hospital following an abdominal hysterectomy. There is also, after healing, a visible scar at the location of the incision.
After a Hysterectomy-Abdominal Approach
After a Hysterectomy- Abdominal Approach Most women go home 2-3 days, but complete recovery takes from six to eight weeks. During this time, you need to rest at home. You should not be doing housework until you talk with your doctor about restrictions. There should be no lifting for the first two weeks. Walking is encouraged, but not heavy lifting. After 6 weeks, you can get back to your regular activities, including having sex.
What to Expect After Hysterectomy
After a hysterectomy, if the ovaries were also removed, a woman will enter menopause. If the ovaries were not removed, a woman may enter menopause at an earlier age than she would have otherwise.
After a hysterectomy, the vast majority of women surveyed feel the operation was successful at improving or curing their main problem (for example, pain or heavy periods).
SEEK MEDICAL CARE IF YOU EXPERIENCE:
- Fever or chills
- Severe pain
- Redness or discharge from incisions
- Problems urinating or having a bowel movement
- Shortness of breath or chest pain
Risks of the procedure
Hysterectomy-Abdominal Approach is a low-risk surgery. Most women who undergo this surgery have no serious problems or complications from the surgery. However, as with any surgery, complications can result for a small minority of women. Those complications include:
- Infection
- Bleeding, blood clots, and hemorrhage
- Injury to surrounding organs (very uncommon)
- Urinary incontinence
- Vaginal prolapse
- Fistula formation
- Chronic pain