Natural Occurrences

As women and mothers, we’ve almost all been there. We have three kids and aren’t exactly interested in entertaining the idea of a fourth, or perhaps your cycles have just become too painful to put up with. Maybe the concern is a bit more serious, and your gut feeling is that cancer could be the cause for your lady parts not working quite as well as they were just months ago.

Of course, this isn’t exactly the type of topic you take to social media to gain some guidance, so rather, you confide in a few of your closest friends following a few martinis in hopes of some honest thoughts on having a hysterectomy.

The next thing you know, your neighbor Nancy is name-dropping Austin Urogynecology, and just seconds after she does, Emma echoes those sentiments, calling Austin Urogynecology home to the best Austin urogynecologists around.

You’re convinced — when it comes to the Texas urogynecology market, the most advanced practice is going to be found at Austin Urogynecology. There you’ll meet experienced nurse practitioners Sarah Stiriss and Kristin Longshore along with Dr. Shashoua, one of the top urogynecology specialists in Texas.

Increased confidence and comfort aside, though, you still have some questions about specifics, such as what exactly is a full or partial hysterectomy and what happens if I have one?

A hysterectomy refers to the removal of the uterus. This may be done for marked uterine prolapse, heavy/painful periods, fibroids or cancer. Types of hysterectomy include:

Abdominal hysterectomy
– Open (done through a large incision)
– Laparoscopic (done through small incisions with a camera) or robotically.

Vaginal hysterectomy
– Cervix and uterus are removed through the vagina, leaving a vaginal cuff at the top of the vagina, where the cervix used to be – this is an incision line with sutures until healed.
– A total hysterectomy means the uterus and cervix are removed. Patients often confuse this, thinking a total hysterectomy means the ovaries were removed, which it doesn’t.
– A supracervical or partial hysterectomy means the uterus is removed and the cervix is left in place. A supracervical or partial hysterectomy is done through the abdomen

If the ovaries are removed, that is called a hysterectomy with
– bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, or
– left ovary removed only is left salpingo-oophorectomy, or
– right ovary only is right salpingo-oophorectomy

Typically, patients at Austin Urogynecology have a hysterectomy due to prolapse or for fibroids; most of which are done robotically. When done for prolapse, it’s typically done with a formal prolapse repair and a mid-urethral sling if there is also leakage of urine with exercise, coughing or sneezing.

When you’re considering a hysterectomy or are unsure whether you need one or not, things can get pretty overwhelming. Even with the help of great friends like Nancy and Emma, sometimes more information and reassurance is needed. That’s why there’s us, Austin Urogynecology. One of the reasons we started our practice was for the women who needed more, who needed a helping hand and an empowering boost to get their life where they wanted it to be. If this sounds like you, or someone you know, pass along our number or give us a call. We are here to help. (512) 973-8276