[Attitude and sex behavior following hysterectomy]

488 women have been asked after abdominal or vaginal hysterectomy by way of retrospective questionnaires about preoperative anxieties, postoperative psychosomatic complaints as well as disturbances of their vita sexualis. 48.6% of the patients had anxieties before operation and anaesthesia. After hysterectomy 71.9% of the women reported about hot flushes and other psycho-vegetative complaints. Although hot flushes occurred significantly more frequent in patients with salpingooophorectomy they could be observed also in one third of the women without removal of the ovaries. However libido, cohabitation frequency and orgasm ability were reduced significantly more frequent in the group of women after hysterectomy with salpingooophorectomy. This is caused by the failing blood supply to the ovary via the branches of the uterine artery. The reduce postoperative psychosomatic complaints as well as sexual dysfunctions it is important to give qualited instructions before and after the operation. On no account should a prophylactic exstirpation of the adnexa be carried out before the age of 50 years. A hormonal substitution is recommended to be done in time even for patients whose ovaries have not been removed suffering from psycho-somatio discomforts.