The basic definition of a hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus. There are however several different ways to remove a uterus.

Vaginal:In a vaginal hysterectomy, the uterus is removed through the vagina, and there are no incisions made on the abdomen. The majority of hysterectomies performed by our physicians are done vaginally.

What to expect: A vaginal hysterectomy typically requires an overnight stay in the hospital and most of our patients go home the next day. A vaginal approach usually has less pain, less time in the operating room and less time off work as compared to an abdominal approach.

Abdominal: In an abdominal hysterectomy, the uterus is removed through an incision on the abdomen. The vast majority of the incisions are low and go across the abdomen, about one inch above the pubic bone.

What to expect: An abdominal hysterectomy typically requires a two-night stay in the hospital. More people appear to take longer to recover from an abdominal approach and usually have more pain and require more time off work.

Laparoscopic: In a laparoscopic hysterectomy, the uterus is removed through several small 1-2cm incisions on the abdomen.

What to expect: A laparoscopic approach typically requires an overnight stay in the hospital and most of our patients go home the next day. A laparoscopic approach is comparable to a vaginal hysterectomy in recovery time and pain yet requires more time in the operating room to perform.

What about my ovaries? The ovaries can be removed along with the uterus in any of the above methods. The decision whether or not to remove the ovaries, either one or both, is multifactorial. You and your surgeon will factor in many pieces of information, such as reason for the hysterectomy, patient preference, family history, and age, when determining if removing one or both ovaries is right for you.