Wertheim's hysterectomy
- Wertheim’s hysterectomy is a radical hysterectomy done in cases of invasive carcinoma
- The structure removed are – uterus, cervix, upper third of vagina, broad ligament, lymph nodes and fatty tissue of pelvis, fallopian tube and possibly one or both ovaries
- The removal of lymph nodes helps to assess the extend of spread of malignancy and to plan post operative radiotherapy
- It is also helps to assess the prognosis
- The surgeon may decide to preserve the ovaries in young women to prevent early menopause as long they appear normal
- The ovaries may be removed if they appear to have metastatic deposits and also in case of post menopausal women
- There is increased risk of damage to adjacent structures like urethra during surgery
