Vaginal Cuff....say what?

Ok Sisters,

I am embarrassed to say that I have absolutely no idea what a vaginal cuff is...and was too horrified to ask my Dr. I asked my Mom and she was clueless too. I have been strictly warned by my DH to stay the **** off of Google because it is no beuno for my mental health!! I am putting it out there to you...the experts to describe the who's, what's when's, where's and how's...of the infamous vaginal cuff. I didn't even know I needed (?) one until it was pointed out on here that if you have a LAVH you automatically lose your cervix. Why would I need to keep it? On the flip side why do I have to lose it? I must admit...I am usually better informed and am a little ashamed of my ignorance. Guess I am more than overwhelmed with all the 411. System overload!!! Don't feel you have to be gentle...give it to me straight please!! I need you Sisters!!

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/article_192677.htm

Here you go! I didn't know for sure what it was and I found this article here on hystersisters.

As far as keeping the cervix or not, you probably want to talk to your doctor.

yes, for an LAVH you will loose it. I was told to deliver the uterus vaginally, the only way is to loose the cervix. I was just fine with that, because I have had two bad pap smears. But, I hear the downside can be not as strong O's....

Still not getting the tube sock reference...

don't worry about the tube-sock, they're just trying to describe how the dr sews up the top of your vagina to close the opening that used to be closed off by your cervix. That's all the vaginal cuff is - same vaginal walls, etc - just has an opening left at the top by the cervix being removed, so dr just sews it closed. Make sense?

Also, in regards to the "o" - each woman is different, there are a lot of women who have much better "o"s after hyster and they had cervix and ovaries removed... removing the cervix doesn't necesarily affect your "o"

I had to go look myself, lol!
I actually googled it, I know, bad, right? but it gave me a clear idea by finding a diagram...

So, If you cut off the end of a sock, any sock, and had an open end, you would take a gathering stitch all the way around the toes to gather it up again, and close it. Then, they will take you peritineum( I know I butchered the spelling!) and stitch over that to support the inside of your abdomen.

Does that work? lol!

I loathe the term vaginal cuff! Was also confused, thought they were putting some strange object in there. Finally understood its just a term to describe how they stitch the opening closed. My doctor told me she would remove the entire uterus including the cervix. When I asked what would happen where the cervix used to be, she told me she would make me a new one with existing tissue and stitches! Love her. Will hold on to the idea of my "new cervix" rather than my "vaginal cuff" :-)

I agree sunny....such a strange way to refer to a piece of anatomy...make shift or not! I like your terminology much better!

The general consensus here is we don't like the term vaginal cuff. But we're stuck with it until we think of something better. My doctors never used that term with me, I only heard of it here. They just said they would sew the top of my vagina closed.

As far as the big "o" I find having no cervix makes no difference at all. Having now uterus, however is a different story. Orgasms for me are definitely not as strong because I no longer have my uterus contracting during them. It only makes sense, with so much work being done down there that there will likely be some differences.