LSH: Really silly question

OK...I had my preop yesterday and my doctor was great answering all my questions, but it didn't occur to me until today something I'm wondering...I know this is a silly question, but...

when they leave the cervix, do they stitch it closed at the top where the uterus used to be?

I've heard everyone talking about their vaginal cuff, but I haven't read anything about stitching the cervix closed.

I know it's silly because they must do something, but please, can someone answer so I can stop worrying.

~ M

I think they cauterize (burn) it. It's actually part of the uterus, so if they just lopped it off, there would be blood, so I think they cauterize it so it's a-ok on its own.
Google it (or don't, based on my recent google - came up with TOO many explicit pictures of prolapse! URGH!)
xx
cleo

I asked my doctor and he said he was going to cauterize it. I have read that is what most do. Can you email your doc to ask?

the top of the cervix is cauterized. i dont know that any stitches are used with the lsh (maybe with a few of the small incisions only). by cauterizing, the dr also lessens the chance of you having mini-periods.

Thanks everyone ... I did ask my dr about cauterizing the cervix and he says he does, but I guess I didn't understand how it would really work.

Now I just have to get to Wednesday morning.

~ M

I think it is typical to cauterize the cervix and not use any stitches.

However, with that said, I did end up with a couple stitches. My doctor tries to "core out" the cervix to help minimize the chance of mini-periods later. When he visited me the morning after my surgery, he admitted that he ended up actually removing more of my cervix than he planned, so put a few stitches in. I read the surgical report later where he wrote, "on the right side of the cervix we appeared to remove some of the cervix, it was likely shorter than we expected and when we tunneled down a bit we ended up removing some of the cervix on this side." It states that he put in some stitches to close it, then later looked at the cervix using a speculum and it appeared intact. It says "about 1/4 of the cervix on the patient's right side was removed, there was no defect."

One of the other surgeons I had a consult with pointed out that "there's no dotted line where to cut." Sometimes they can end up leaving more of the cervix, and in my case some of it was removed.

I wouldn't have even known the difference if the doctor hadn't told me what happened. And on the bright side, I haven't seen a drop of blood since!

Not a silly question! I've been wondering about my cervix lately and whether I will still have pap smears. Mary