Hysterectomy - the basics

So - let’s talk about hysterectomy, on the basic level. A lot of people aren’t sure exactly what a hysterectomy is or what it involves.

A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. Plain and simple. But there are lots of choices to be made with hysterectomy, and that’s where all those pesky and confusing details come in.

You may have heard the terms partial, total and radical. But what’s the difference, and what do they mean?


A partial hysterectomy means that the upper part of the uterus was removed, leaving the cervix intact. This is sometimes called a subtotal hysterectomy, or a supracervical (‘above the cervix’) hysterectomy. The cervix is, in fact, part of the uterus – it’s actually Latin for ‘neck’, and so the cervix is basically the neck of the uterus.

A total hysterectomy refers to the removal of the uterus and the cervix. Sometimes people will call this a complete hysterectomy.

And then there’s the radical hysterectomy. The radical hysterectomy involves removal of the uterus, the cervix, the upper portion of the vagina. Lymph nodes, lymph channels, and tissues that support the uterus are removed. A radical hysterectomy is most commonly performed when a woman has cancer, although there are other conditions for which it is recommended.

Now, you may be wondering why I haven’t mentioned ovaries yet. Most people assume that a hysterectomy automatically involves the ovaries – but that isn’t necessarily so! And that, my friends, is another post entirely.