Etymed
hysterectomy
Definition
Surgical removal of the uterus
Clinical context
A 45-year-old woman presents with severe uterine fibroids causing heavy menstrual bleeding and pelvic pain. Despite conservative treatments, her symptoms persist and significantly impact her quality of life. Her gynecologist recommends a total hysterectomy to resolve her condition. A 55-year-old woman with stage II endometrial cancer undergoes a total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy as part of her cancer treatment.
Mnemonic
Hysterectomy = Hyster- (uterus) + -ectomy (removal)