Many patients are confused about what their surgeons are planning. Here’s how to get the details.
The most common reason for a hysterectomy, the removal of the uterus, is to address chronic sources of pain and bleeding that can disrupt daily life — including fibroids, endometriosis, menstrual disorders and pelvic organ prolapse. A rising reason is a patient’s desire to align anatomy with lived gender.
Despite being called “elective” by doctors, the procedure can be life-changing, and in some cases, even lifesaving. But hysterectomies are typically not emergency surgeries — meaning patients have time to ask questions and weigh all their options. To make sure you know exactly what you’re agreeing to, here are five questions to ask your doctor.
Can you go over the reproductive organs and explain which ones you will be removing?
Dr. Karen Tang, who is a gynecological surgeon and the author of the book “It’s Not Hysteria,” about reproductive health, begins her consultations by sketching the reproductive system out on a whiteboard.
Then, she explains which organs she plans to remove and why. When she and a patient go over a surgical consent form, she translates any technical terms into lay language. For instance, “total laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy” becomes “removal of the uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes, leaving the ovaries behind.”
If a visual helps you understand, bring in a diagram yourself and ask your doctor to refer to it. If your consent form does not include plain language, have your doctor define unfamiliar terms or write nonmedical definitions on the form. Your surgeon should be able to explain why each organ is to be removed, and the risks and benefits of each option.
If the words “partial” or “total” come up, ask your doctor to slow down and explain exactly what they mean. In general, surgeons should avoid these terms, because they are used inconsistently, Dr. Tang said.