Hysterectomy in the Urologist's Practice

Hysterectomy is an important surgical procedure in the care of women with pelvic organ prolapse or lower urinary tract malignancy. Therefore, hysterectomy can be a commonly performed surgical procedure in the urologist's practice. Obtaining a thorough gynecologic history is necessary prior to performing a hysterectomy and prolapse repair. Specifically, reviewing prior cervical cancer screening, risk factors for uterine malignancy, and the role of prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy are important steps of the reconstructive surgical planning process. In women with lower urinary tract malignancy, hysterectomy is included in the classic technique of radical cystectomy. However, preliminary research has begun to question whether or not the uterus can be spared in some cases. In the article, we review the literature on hysterectomy as it pertains to the field of urology.