In easy terms a hysterectomy is simply the removal of a female’s uterus. This procedure can be done for many reasons such as uterine fibroids, uterine prolapse, cancer, and endometriosis to name a few.

If this process is done for non-cancerous reasons it is usually because all other medical treatments have already been tried without success.

Depending on the reason for this treatment the surgeon or doctor will decide to remove either all or part of the uterus. Because patients and even doctors use the terms incorrectly it is important to clarify if the ovaries and cervix are also removed.

The first type is called a supracervial or subtotal hysterectomy. This surgery requires only the removal of the upper part of the uterus and the cervix will stay in place.

The next surgery is called a total hysterectomy which will remove the whole uterus and the cervix.

The last type of surgery is a radical hysterectomy. In this surgery the surgeon will remove the whole uterus, the tissue on the sides of the uterus, the cervix, and also the top part of the vagina. This technique is usually done if cancer is detected.

The doctor or surgeon may also decide to remove the ovaries, which is called an oophorectomy, or to leave them in place.

There are different types of methods that a surgeon may use for this procedure. The techniques that they choose will depend on their experience, they type of hysterectomy being done, and the health of the women. This will also determine the manner of scar left on the women and the healing time that will be involved. The abdominal hysterectomy is the most common method and is used about 65% of the time. The MIP hysterectomy is done with various forms of laparoscopic surgeries.