A hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus using surgical procedures and is normally performed by the gynecologist. Hysterectomy can be total hysterectomy which is the removal of the body, the cervix and the fundus of the uterus. The partial hysterectomy is the removal of all of the uterine body however the cervical stump is left behind.


This is called the supracervical.  The total abdominal hysterectomy is the hysterectomy that is mostly performed and is the most common of all gynecological surgical procedures. The term hysterectomy comes from two Greek words which mean to cut off the womb.


This procedure is also called the abdominohysterectomy. During the procedure involving a total abdominal hysterectomy, the medical practitioner or the doctor removes the uterus. This also includes the removal of the cervix. The scar that results from a total abdominal hysterectomy can be either horizontal or vertical. This depends on the reason the particular procedure has been performed and also the size of the location that has been treated. Total abdominal hysterectomy can be done in some unusual cases where there is severe pelvic pain. It can also be done after a very thorough examination and evaluation has been conducted to identify the actual cause of the pain, and it is only done after various attempts at other non-surgical treatments. Total abdominal hysterectomy allows the doctor to do a whole abdomen and an entire pelvis examination.  

A hysterectomy is mainly done because of fibroids. The other reason why a hysterectomy is recommended by doctors is because of a few types of reproductive cancers that affect the system like uterine cancer, ovarian cancer or cervical cancer. It is even recommended due to the presence of tumors. Specific circumstances like intractable and severe endometriosis or adenomvosis can result in an abdominal hysterectomy. Also it is considered as your last resort when there is a situation of excessive postpartum bleeding or a severe case of placenta praevia. The removal of the patient’s uterus leaves her unable to bear any children. It also causes a lot changes in her hormonal levels.  
Some of the complications that result from an abdominal hysterectomy are due to intra-operative hemorrhaging that requires a blood transfusion. The other common complication that occurs during the surgery involves injury to the urinary tract. There can even be an injury to the ureter and the bladder. Some patients can develop a wound infection others can get a burst abdomen. There can even be some vaginal vault granulation cases.