Hysterectomy

Total hysterectomy is surgically removing the uterus and the cervix. Supracervical or subtotal hysterectomy may also be performed, removing only the uterus and leaving the cervix intact.


There are different ways to perform hysterectomies:


  1. Total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH): This is the standard hysterectomy performed by most gynecologists by laparotomy. We generally use it for fibroid tumors, severe pelvic adhesions or endometriosis, or significant additional ovarian diseases or other disease. Supracervical hysterectomy (see below) can be done by the abdominal route.

  2. Transvaginal hysterectomy (TVH): This is the standard hysterectomy for women with uterine prolapse or with urinary or rectal symptoms.

  3. Laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH): This is a combination of a TVH with laparoscopy where we secure fallopian tubes or ovaries by a laparoscopic approach before TVH.

  4. Total Laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH): In this procedure we do the entire hysterectomy by laparoscopy.

  5. Supracervical hysterectomy (SCH): In this type of hysterectomy — also called subtotal hysterectomy— we only remove the uterus, leaving the cervix behind. This may be done by laparotomy or by minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques (supracervical laparoscopic hysterectomy{SLH}).

As Dr. Horvath has over 20 years experience and expertise in advanced laparoscopic techniques, this is usually the recommended approach when possible.