Hysterectomy Side Effects

Hysterectomy Side Effects

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Hysterectomy Side Effects

Hysterectomy, or the surgical procedure to remove the uterus, accounts for the maximum number of gynecological surgery cases in the United States. The surgical approach is widely used to treat uterine, ovarian, and cervical cancers and other medical conditions related to the uterus, such as chronic pelvic pain, non-cancerous tumors in uterus, endometriosis, prolapsed and thickening of the uterus, and abnormal vaginal bleeding. Though the surgical approach is found highly effective in curing serious gynecological conditions of women, it results in a number of side effects and is found to diminish long-term survival rates of patients.

Hysterectomy Statistics

Hysterectomy ranks second in the number of overall surgeries performed on reproductive women in the United States, according to the National Women?s Health Information Center, a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With an average of 622,000 women undergoing surgical removal of uterus every year, hysterectomy accounts for the highest number of non-obstetrical surgeries performed on women in the country. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology claims that about 75 percent of hysterectomies performed in the country violate guidelines of the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists.

According to a 2007 report by the National Center for Health Statistics, as many as 73 percent of women treated with hysterectomy got their ovaries removed while one in every three U.S. women is expected to have the surgery before she reaches 60 years of age. At least 11 deaths are reported for every 10,000 uterus removal surgeries performed. One in four patients that goes for hysterectomy complains of severe post-surgery complications.

Hysterectomy: Types, Causes, Techniques

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• Hysterectomy can be of the following three types.
• Radical Hysterectomy: For the treatment of cancer, this type of surgery removes the uterus, ovaries, cervix, fallopian tubes, upper vagina, and lymph nodes.
• Total Hysterectomy: It includes removal of the entire uterus and cervix.
• Supracervical Hysterectomy: Also known as subtotal or partial hysterectomy, this type of surgery results in the removal of the uterus only while cervix and ovaries are not removed.
• Patients with the following serious symptoms usually undergo hysterectomy as the last treatment option and after all other alternatives are exhausted.
• Reproductive system cancers affecting the uterus, ovaries, cervix, and tissues lining the uterus.
• Uterine fibroids or growth of non-cancerous tumors in the uterus wall leading to pain and bleeding.
• Intractable endometriosis caused by the development of uterine lining on ovaries, fallopian tubes, and pelvic organs and resulting in pain and bleeding during menstrual periods and sexual intercourse. It also causes chronic back and pelvis pain.
• Uterus prolapse leading to urinary and bowel problems.
• Severe pain due to thickening of the uterus walls.
• Chronic pelvic pain unresponsive to pharmaceutical treatments.
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding and excessive obstetrical hemorrhage.
• Hysterectomy surgery techniques differ depending on the cause of surgery and facilities at the disposal of the surgeon.
• Open hysterectomy, where an incision is made on the abdominal and the uterus is removed.
• Vaginal hysterectomy, where a curt is made in the vagina and the uterus is removed.
• Laparoscopic hysterectomy, where laparoscopic tube and surgical tools are inserted through small cuts on the abdominal or vagina and the surgery is performed viewing the internal conditions on a video screen.
• Robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy, where sophisticated laparoscopic surgery is performed using a robotic system of surgical tools.

Hysterectomy Side Effects

An ongoing study by the Hysterectomy Educational Resources and Services Foundation, a non-profit advocacy group promoting women?s health and related awareness, has cited a number of physical, psychological, and medical problems caused by hysterectomy. According to the study, close to 80 percent women experience personality change and irritation while more than 75 percent complain of fatigue, exhaustion, and decreased sexual behavior. Urinary tract infection and visual problems are among the most common problems patients face within 60 days of hysterectomy. The following are the most reported hysterectomy side effects across all age groups.

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• Adhesion Related Disorder: In February 2012, an article published in Nursing for Women's Health highlighted a strong link between adhesions and hysterectomy-induced small bowel obstruction. Studies by researchers at the McGill University and the Obstetrics and Gynecology journal have also supported this. Adhesions used during abdominal hysterectomy harm delicate membranes and lead to the formation of internal scar tissues. These scar tissues tether abdominal and pelvic organs, which, in turn, results in bowel obstruction and strangulation, abdominal pain, constipation, and vomiting.
• Mortality and Risk of Surgery: More than 660 women die every year due to complications caused by hysterectomy. Maximum numbers of deaths are reported within 40 days of the surgery. Mortality risks are higher among pregnant women undergoing surgical removal of the uterus and reproductive system cancers. Post-hysterectomy hormonal side effects put women below 45 years at the increased risk of death. About 35 percent of patients feel the need to undergo another surgery to fix ureteral injury and related complications within 2 years of hysterectomy.
• Ovarian Failure: A majority of hysterectomies result in removal or failure of ovaries leading to infertility. Lack of endocrine response from the uterus after hysterectomy prevents blood supply to the ovaries, leading to significant disruption of their functions. About 40 percent of women that undergo hysterectomy experience this disorder and many of them go for hormone replacement treatment. Formation of ovarian cyst is another side effect of this surgical approach.
• Premature Menopause: Post-surgery studies have shown that women who have undergone hysterectomy experience menopause on an average 3 to 4 years earlier compared to others. Sharp fall in the estrogen level post hysterectomy results in hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and other menopause symptoms. Known as "surgical menopause," this condition is different from natural menopause and often causes pain, mood swings, and night sweats.
• Cardiovascular Side Effects: Falling estrogen levels result in cardiovascular risks, such as hypertension, blockage, palpitations, breath shortness, and chest pain. It is found that women with supracervical and total hysterectomies are three times more prone to cardiovascular problems while the risk is seven times higher for those with radical hysterectomy.
• Muscular Side Effects: Lack of sufficient estrogen prevents calcium metabolism in the body. This reduces bone density, causing osteoporosis and enhanced risks of fracture, joint pain, back pain, aching muscles, and wrist pain in women underwent hysterectomy. Bone wasting due to calcium loss is another long-term hysterectomy side effect.
• Neurologic and Psychological Disorders: Removal of ovaries puts reproductive women at a five-fold risk of neurological and psychological disorders. Irritation, personality change, absence of sexual desire, difficulty in socializing or interacting, loss of sensuality, short-term memory loss, suicide attempt, tingling, insomnia, anxiety, amnesia, nervousness, headache, panic attacks, and numbness are commonly reported neurological and psychological side effects of hysterectomy.
• Renal Side Effects: Urinary incontinence is the most common renal side effect of hysterectomy. According to a research study published in Lancet journal in 2007, hysterectomy leads to 2.4 times increase in the urinary stress incontinence risk. Urinary retention, urinary frequency disorder, rare renal cell carcinoma, and kidney problems are the other most reported hysterectomy renal side effects.
• Endocrine Side Effects: Vaginal prolapse and related endocrine problems almost double after hysterectomy. Women undergoing hysterectomy experience premature menopause and frequent hot flashes. While vaginal pain, dryness, itching, and bleeding increase, patients suffer from decreased sexuality.
• Other Hysterectomy Side Effects:
• Rare ectopic pregnancy has been found in women with supracervical and total hysterectomies.
• Surgical complications, including uterine bleeding and dysfunction, infection, anesthesia problems, and infection.
• Ocular side effects, including double vision, visual distortion, dry eyes, and vision problems.
• Dermatological side effects, including dry skin, dry hair, increase in facial hair, brittle dry pains, brown spots on the skin, and early wrinkles.
• Weight gain, edema, buttock pain, arthritis, hypothyroid, Carpel Tunnel syndrome, hypoglycemia, and asthma.
• Reduced sexual desire, pelvic pain, and pain during intercourse.

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