Life Expectancy and Health After Total Hysterectomy Surgery

Understanding Life Expectancy After Total Hysterectomy

A total hysterectomy is a surgery to remove a woman's uterus and cervix. It is a major procedure, but one that is commonly performed and considered very safe. Many women undergo a total hysterectomy and go on to live long, healthy lives afterwards.

However, it's natural to have questions about what impact a total hysterectomy could have on your future health and life expectancy. This article provides detailed information on recovery, potential risks and life expectancy after having this surgery.

Recovery After Total Hysterectomy Surgery

The recovery time after a total hysterectomy differs for each woman, but you can expect it to take several weeks to a few months to fully recover. Many factors affect the recovery period, including:

• The surgical technique used (abdominal vs vaginal vs laparoscopic)
• The reason for the surgery (cancer vs fibroids etc)
• The patient's general health and age
• If any complications occurred during surgery

Women who have an open abdominal hysterectomy (with a 5-7 inch abdominal incision) typically have the longest recovery. This type of hysterectomy usually requires a 3-5 day hospital stay and up to 6-8 weeks of rest at home before returning to normal activities.

With a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy, the recovery time is much faster. These are less invasive techniques that usually have patients going home 1-2 days after surgery. Full recovery is often faster too, usually around 4-6 weeks until a woman feels back to her normal self.

Short and Long Term Side Effects

While a hysterectomy is generally considered extremely safe, as with all major surgery there can be side effects and potential risks either during or after the procedure. Side effects a woman may experience include:

• Pain - Mild to potentially severe pain is common after any hysterectomy surgery. Pain medication and time allows for gradual improvement.
• Bowel problems - Constipation or bowel changes are very common early on.
• Emotional issues - Some women experience depression or changes in libido. Counseling helps.
• Early menopause - If ovaries are removed, this brings on rapid hormonal changes that can cause hot flashes, irritability, vaginal dryness and more.
• Potential bladder or bowel injury - The risk is very low with an experienced surgeon.
• Blood clots - IMPORTANT to get up and moving as soon as safely possible after surgery.

While concerning, your doctor can provide medication to help manage the majority of these hysterectomy side effects and they are usually temporary in nature.

Long Term Effects on Life Expectancy

There have been many past studies investigating how a hysterectomy may impact overall life expectancy. The findings indicate there is little to no decrease in life expectancy after getting this surgery, unless cancer was the cause leading to the procedure.

Impact When Hysterectomy Is Due to Cancer

When abnormal uterine cells have developed into uterine cancer (endometrial cancer), a hysterectomy may help prolong life expectancy by stopping cancer growth and spread. However, the 5-year relative survival rate after surgery for endometrial cancer varies greatly based on the cancer stage:

• Stage 1 - 93%
• Stage 2 - 69%
• Stage 3 - 52%
• Stage 4 - 29%

This demonstrates why early intervention greatly improves the chances of living for many years after cancer treatment.

Impact When No Cancer Involved

For women who have a hysterectomy to treat non-cancerous conditions like painful fibroids, endometriosis or uterine prolapse, multiple large studies have shown there is very little increased risk of dying prematurely compared to women who kept their uterus.

A 2017 study published in the Journal of Women's Health analyzed data from over 22,000 women who had hysterectomies. The findings showed the average lifespan after hysterectomy surgery was:

• Abdominal hysterectomy - Lived 17.95 more years.
• Vaginal hysterectomy - Lived 18.78 more years.
• Laparoscopic hysterectomy - Lived 19.02 more years.

Based on US life expectancy averages for women, this indicates most women can anticipate living to their late 70's or very early 80's after a hysterectomy procedure to resolve non-cancerous conditions.

Improving Life Expectancy After Hysterectomy

Although a hysterectomy surgery itself does not seem to decrease lifespan, what does matter is staying proactive about your health after surgery. This includes optimal management of any side effects, along with maintaining a high quality lifestyle.

Strategies recommended to improve life expectancy decades after a hysterectomy include:

• Take hormone replacement medicines if in sudden menopause
• Have yearly pelvic exams to screen for potential vaginal cancer
• See your doctor promptly for any post-hysterectomy concerns
• If ovaries removed, monitor bone density and fracture risks
• Maintain optimal weight through nutrition and exercise
• Treating high blood pressure or cholestoral if an issue
• Have age-appropriate health screening tests done (mammogram, colon cancer etc)
• Avoid smoking cigarettes or abusing alcohol

Staying on top of your health, along with integrating positive lifestyle habits allows many women to live just as long after hysterectomy as if they had kept their uterus.

The Bottom Line

A total hysterectomy is a very common surgery performed on hundreds of thousands of women each year in the US. Although emotional and physical recovery can take time, most women go on to resume normal activities and live for decades after surgery.

Numerous studies tracking hysterectomy patients support that life expectancy is generally not reduced after uterus removal surgery. Unless cancer is involved or new health conditions develop, most women live well into their late 70's or 80's after hysterectomy.

Staying proactive with health exams, positive lifestyle choices and promptly managing any changes improves odds of an extended lifespan. So while hysterectomy causes permanent body changes, with proper self-care there is no reason to expect it will reduce your quantity or quality of life.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.