A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of a woman’s uterus (womb). Depending on the reasons for the procedure, the woman’s ovaries and fallopian tubes are sometimes removed. The removal of the ovaries is called an oophorectomy, and the removal of the fallopian tubes is called a salpingectomy. When the ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed at the same time, the procedure is called a salpingo-oophorectomy.

A hysterectomy can be partial, complete or radical, depending on the reason for the procedure. The partial (subtotal) supracervical hysterectomy removes only the uterus and leaves the cervix intact. The complete hysterectomy can be total, which removes the uterus, cervix and ovaries or partial, which leaves the ovaries intact. The radical hysterectomy is performed in cases of certain gynecological malignancies. It removes the uterus, cervix, ovaries and the structures that support the uterus.

More than 600,000 women undergo a hysterectomy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This large number of hysterectomies performed each year is believed to be among the highest rates in the world.

The CDC ranks hysterectomy as the second most common surgical procedure performed in the United States. To date, more than 20 million American women have had a hysterectomy. However, many health experts believe that these numbers are expected to decline due to advances in other treatment options for gynecological conditions.

Some of the most common reasons for a hysterectomy include:

• Uterine fibroids
  
  
• Endometriosis
  
  
• Menorraghia (heavy menstrual bleeding)
  
  
• Cervical and endometrial (uterine) cancers

Hysterectomies are typically performed by gynecologists (physicians who specialize in the female reproductive system). The four most common types of hysterectomy include:

• Abdominal hysterectomy
• Vaginal hysterectomy
• Laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy
• Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy

Hysterectomies generally require a hospital stay of three to six days for close monitoring of the patient and better pain management. However, a woman’s complete recovery can take four to eight weeks and sometimes longer. Recovery will also depend on which type of hysterectomy was performed.