Psychiatric aspects of hysterectomy

A prospective psychiatric study of women undergoing hysterectomy conducted in Christian Medical College, Vellore, is described. About 20% of patients who had Hysterectomy developed depressive symptoms during the first year of follow up. Those who developed these symptoms had higher N score on Eysenck Personality Inventory and a higher M. R. Score on Cornell Medical Index before the operation when compared to those who did not develop psychiatric symptoms which suggests that the patients who have a higher score on Neuroticism are more prone to get psychiatric illness. It is emphasised that an attempt must be made to identify such patients who are more prone to get psychiatric disturbance in order to prevent or minimise these psychiatric disturbances. Prior consideration to these complications should be given before doing hysterectomy.