Hysterectomy or surgical removal of the womb is a common major operation performed on women

The common reasons hysterectomy is performed include:

1. Fibroids: Benign tumors found in uterus often cause painful, heavy periods; persistent pelvic pain; the need to urinate frequently; constipation and discomfort

2. Adenomyosis: Tissue that normally lines the womb sometimes grows within the muscle wall of the womb. This can cause severely painful periods.

3. Endometriosis: Endometriosis is the growth of uterine tissue outside of the womb such as in the ovary, bladder, fallopian tube or rectum.

4. Heavy periods: Some women lose significant amount of blood due to excessive menstruation. In cases where the woman’s life is severely impacted by the bleeding treatment becomes essential.

5. Cancer: when cancer is affecting uterus, especially at advanced stage.

Although hysterectomy is highly successful in curing the disease of concern, this operation can cause hormonal imbalance and affect a woman’s overall health. Hysterectomy is therefore usually only recommended where medicines have failed to control the symptoms and there is no alternative way.

Recent technological advancements have made it possible to save uterus in many patients and treat some of the above conditions (fibroids, adenomyosis and heavy periods) through angiography (procedure called as Uterine Artery Embolisation - UAE). In this procedure medicines are injected directly into the blood vessels supplying the uterus. The fibroids shrink, bleeding reduces and symptoms improve. There are no cuts, no scars and uterus is not removed from the body!

In other cases surgery may still be necessary. However every effort should be made to save the uterus. Talk to your doctor and discuss what is best for you.

Dr Shahnawaz Kaloo

Interventional Radiologist and Liver Cancer Specialist

Max Hospital, Saket, Delhi