Basics Regarding Hysterectomy Waco Residents Need To Be Aware Of

By Charles Edwards


There are a number of conditions that may necessitate the removal of a uterus in a woman. The surgical procedure used is what is medically referred to as hysterectomy. There are a number of things on hysterectomy Waco residents need to know if they intend to or have been advised to undergo the same by their doctors. The most important among them is that the affected women will not no longer be able to carry a pregnancy.

There are two main instances in which there may be a need to remove a uterus. The first is in the emergency setting during which the woman has very little choice if at all. This may occur, for example, following the delivery of a baby that is complicated by excessive bleeding from the uterus. Although there are a number of conservative interventions that can be undertaken, surgery is usually needed when these fail.

Elective procedures are by far the more common. Some of the reasons that may create a need for them include uterine tumors, cervical cancers and prolonged or excessive bleeding from the uterus due to any other reasons. It is important that alternatives are first considered by a decision to have the operation is made. In a significant proportion of these cases, patients have a choice to turn down the surgery.

Like any major surgical operation, there are a number of thing that need to be undertaken as preparation for an individual undergoing the surgery. The extent of the disease needs to be determined as this will in turn dictate the approach to be undertaken by the operating surgeon. Some of the investigations that may be done include imaging studies such as ultrasound and CT scan, blood tests such as hemoglobin.

Your doctor will typically give you some instructions on conditions that are to be fulfilled before the procedure is carried out. If you are taking blood thinners, these should be stopped a few weeks before the day of the operation. Smokers also need to stop using tobacco products a few weeks in advance. All these are aimed at reducing the risk of bleeding from the operation.

One of two approaches will be used to access the uterus. These are the abdominal and the trans-vaginal routes. The choice is determined by a number of factors including the condition affecting the uterus, the size of the lesion and the surgical skill of attending surgeons among others. The trans-vaginal route is highly preferred because it does not leave visible scars after healing takes place.

The abdominal approach allows the surgeon to use the open technique or to conduct the operation laparoscopically. With the open approach, a larger incision is required leading to a higher risk of complications such as excessive bleeding and injury to other structures. The laparoscopic approach, on the other hand, requires smaller incisions hence a lower risk of complications.

The operation itself lasts between one and two hours but this could be longer depending on the indication for the operation. Either general anesthesia or regional anesthesia is used. This is also determined by the underlying condition and the time that the operation is expected to take. You will typically be allowed home after about seventy hours and resumption of the normal routine is in a couple of days.




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