Hysterectomy Surgeon in Austin, TX

Hysterectomy Q & A

When would I need a hysterectomy?

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove your uterus. In most gynecological conditions, your provider starts your treatment with the most appropriate and nonsurgical options. Then they recommend a hysterectomy only when conservative treatments fail to improve your symptoms.

However, a hysterectomy is unavoidable if you have multiple uterine fibroids, recurrent fibroids after a myomectomy, diffuse adenomyosis, uterine cancer, or cervical cancer.

The providers at Women’s Health Domain encourage women to carefully consider their options and get a second opinion before having a hysterectomy.

What should I know about endometriosis and hysterectomies?

In most cases, a hysterectomy will not treat endometriosis. Unfortunately, you can have a hysterectomy and still have pain because endometriosis affects many organs and tissues other than your uterus, including your bowels, appendix, peritoneum, kidneys, and lungs.

The physicians at Women’s Health Domain always recommend laparoscopic excision surgery first. They have spent years perfecting minimally invasive procedures to completely remove endometriosis from your uterus and any other part of your body.

Laparoscopic excision surgery to remove endometriosis preserves your uterus and leaves the door open to a future hysterectomy only if it’s absolutely necessary.

Unfortunately, many very skilled doctors turn to a hysterectomy to treat endometriosis because they want to relieve your symptoms but don’t have the extensive experience and training required to perform complex laparoscopic excisions.

What type of hysterectomy might I need?

The type of hysterectomy you need depends on your diagnosis and general health. Your  Women’s Health Domain provider may recommend:

Supracervical hysterectomy

A supracervical hysterectomy, also called a partial hysterectomy, removes your uterus while preserving your cervix.

Total hysterectomy

During a total hysterectomy, your surgeon removes the uterus and cervix, but leaves the ovaries and fallopian tubes. You no longer have periods, but your ovaries keep producing estrogen and progesterone.

Hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy

This procedure removes the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. As a result, your body immediately goes into menopause.

Will I have a minimally invasive hysterectomy?

There are several approaches to performing a hysterectomy:

Abdominal hysterectomy

This approach means that your surgeon makes the incision in your abdomen. However, there are two ways to perform an abdominal hysterectomy.

You may have conventional open surgery, which involves one large incision. Or your provider may perform laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive technique that uses small incisions and specialized instruments designed to fit through tiny openings.

Vaginal hysterectomy

If you have a vaginal hysterectomy, your surgeon makes an incision in your vagina and uses long instruments to detach the uterus and remove it through your vagina. Not all women can have a vaginal hysterectomy; it depends on the underlying condition.

In some cases, your surgeon may perform a vaginal hysterectomy with guidance from a laparoscope inserted through your abdomen.

If you have questions about whether you need a hysterectomy, call Women’s Health Domain or book an appointment online.