When is a Hysterectomy the Best Solution?

Hysterectomy, or the surgical removal of a woman’s uterus and cervix, is a procedure that about 600,000 women in the United States undergo each year. 

Doctors recommend hysterectomies for a variety of legitimate reasons, but alarmingly, most are elective, and 90% aren’t necessary. It turns out that many women get hysterectomies when other treatments would be just as effective.

Board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Kevin Hooker has extensive experience performing hysterectomies but always makes sure that it’s the appropriate solution. He has a reputation for thoroughness, accuracy, and honesty, earning patients’ unwavering trust at Lake Havasu OB/GYN Care. While each case is unique, here’s his overview of hysterectomies.

When you don’t need a hysterectomy

Although a hysterectomy can resolve many gynecological problems, this radical procedure should never be the go-to choice. Several conditions respond well to less traumatic treatments.

Uterine fibroids

Many doctors recommend a hysterectomy for uterine fibroids because the rogue growths can’t exist without the absence. However, several minimally invasive treatments have shown excellent outcomes and allow you to keep your uterus.

These treatments include myomectomy (a surgical procedure that removes fibroids), embolization (which cuts off the blood supply to the fibroid), and radiofrequency ablation (which destroys the fibroids).

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is when the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. A hysterectomy eliminates the problem’s source but isn’t always necessary. Dr.  Hooker can perform endometrial ablation or dilation and curettage to remove excess endometrial lining and abnormal tissue.  

Uterine prolapse

For uterine prolapse, Dr. Hooker can implant a device called a vaginal pessary to hold the uterus in place. 

These are just a few examples of conditions with alternative treatment options that may be preferable to an irreversible hysterectomy. Additionally, women who have hysterectomies have a 30% chance of experiencing post-surgical complications, such as infections or fever.

When a hysterectomy is appropriate

There are times when a hysterectomy is the right choice, and they’re often life-threatening situations. These include:

• An unmanageable infection 
• Uncontrollable bleeding
• Serious childbirth complications, like a ruptured uterus
• A fibroid situation that’s getting worse and hasn’t responded to other treatments
• Invasive uterine, cervical, fallopian tube, ovarian, or vaginal cancer
• Severe hyperplasia (excessive uterine lining thickening) that can become cancerous

Dr. Hooker discusses every treatment possibility for your condition based on its severity, your medical history, and other factors. 

If a hysterectomy becomes necessary, rest assured that he is experienced and skilled at every type of hysterectomy: 

• Complete hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix)
• Partial hysterectomies (removal of only the uterus)
• Radical hysterectomy (removal of the uterus, cervix, and upper portion of the vagina)

Radical hysterectomies are typically performed to treat cancer.

Call our Mesquite Avenue office at 928-683-1667 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hooker or request one online. For your convenience, we open at 7am, Monday through Friday.