Vertical incision vs. Horizontal incision

I also meant to mention in my above reply that the Dr. usually cannot make a decision about which way to cut if the uterus is very large until you are under anethesia.

The reason being is that your muscles are not completely relaxed until this time and the size of the uterus cannot be preciously determined until this time.

Ignorance is bliss sometimes. I did not know I would wake up w/ a drain either or have alot of blood loss in surgery. My Dr. was leaning towards the vertical cut prior to surgery-but it is not huge and he promises me that one day the scar will be minimal. None the less, I have done great and am recovering well beyond belief.

This whole thing, pain wise, has not come close to the pain I endured every month for so many years and I am glad it is over with and look forward to this new freedom and beginning in my new life-able to live EVERYDAY to the fullest.

Best wishes to all of you in your recovery.

Sweet Pea in SC
TAH w/unplanned BSO due to basketball size uterus, endo, adenomyosis on 9/19/05. On Vivelle patch and doing well.

I have a vertical scar from C-saection and abd hyst. Right below the naval to the pubic bone. I have been able to wear "Natural waist cut" pants without the scar showing. In the past I had always worn "high rise" but with the big basketball gone, I have a flatter tummy and am able to show my belly button! Also ask your surgeon if underlying dissolvable stiches and ster-strips are an option other than staples. Less scarring with connecting the dots!~

I agree, if one is having a hysterectomy due to cancer the vertical incision is a must due to how invasive cancer can be and how it can spread to surrounding organs. Under that concept I would indeed have the vertical incisions with no problems, but otherwise I would be seeking another Dr. to perform a horizontal incision for a enlarged uterus not plagued by cancer. I think Basketball size uterus calls for vertical incision also, but anything smaller than that I would seek a Dr. who would perform the horizontal incision. JMO!

Sweet Pea,

Thank you for clarifying about when the doctor will know how big the uterus is (as you said, when I'm already under anesthesia). Somehow I forgot to ask my doctor that.

Jackie,

I guess I'm lucky that my doctor seems more sensitive and has promised to do as cosmetic an incision as possible. I may wind up with a vertical incision not only for the size of my uterus, but also because I have endometriosis and CIN III dysplasia (pre-cancer) and if there is any full-blown cancer, I certainly would to make it easiest for the doctor to remove whatever he needs to.

Of course, I gave up bikinis 20 years ago (and bikini panties, too) so that's easy for me to say!

Louise

Hi, I had a vertical incision due to the bowel resection I had and it was stuck all the way up into the spleen. My incision is right below naval to a couple inches below pubic hairline. It is not pretty, but I imagine it will continue to fade. And they did a omenectomy because they thought I had a cancerous ovary and they did all kinds of biopsies.
As for recovery time, I had a longer one due to the extent of my surgery, I was in hospital for 8 days. But when I had a previous surgery it was a bikini cut and I couldn't lie on my side comfortably for weeks. I was lying on my side with teh vertical one the night of with no extra pulling. And the abdominal muscles? You have some horizonal and some vertical. And my dr says it is a myth that they cut throught the muscle, They USUALLY separate it not cut it. Like just pull it apart somehow. I would also say even with everything they did to me my swelling was less with the vertical cut and never had problems with swelly belly. (other than the usual post op swelling for a week or two).
Good luck and I would say let the Dr chose what he thinks is best. Tiffany

Wow, Tiffsue, sounds like you had quite a surgery! It's good to hear you didn't have much swelly belly, and no full-blown cancer. How long was your recovery at home? Are you all better now?

Louise

Hi,
I was off work for 8 weeks, but pretty much recovered at 6. I don't think I really had in any worse than anyone else, just the longer stay in the hospital. I seemed to be in more pain initially then alot of people said, but that is all subjective, maybe I am just a wimp! I am doing fine now pain wise and am really glad I had the surgery. Thanks for asking about me, Tiffany

Hi again everyone.

Thanks so much for all your insight. I'm guessing he has decided vertical because it is non so super-sized. He has some concerns over my right ovary too. He said he'd be pushing on it a lot to gauge the size once I was under. Now I know it is because the muscles need to relax. Thank you for that little piece of info. Also, I never even thought about them just moving the muscle. That makes sense. I like the part about being able to lay on your side right away. I'm sure my back is going to kill after laying flat during surgery for so long. I need a support under my big sway to keep it from dropping out. As for the scar. Well. I have lots of them, I will just try the new scar patches they have it is too ugly. I'm just wondering how he will close it. I suppose I could ask that question. I wonder if they know beforehand if they will use staples or not. Hmmmm. One more thing to ask him. At least I finally have a date and I know that I will at least start 2006 as a different woman. A happier and healthier one I hope. I can also say that I truly look forward to wearing all white again. Black has become my uniform, I'll finally get to wear color again. No more risk of accidents! Woo hoo.

Take care everyone. Hope you are having a great recovery. Thanks for sharing your stories. They really helped.

~Jackie*

Hi Starshine, I'm having surgery on the same date as you are! I am also getting an abdominal surgery and am curious what size uterus you have, if you don't mind me asking. I have a pretty big size, l4wk. I thought about a laproscopic surgery (vaginal), but I'd have to take Lupron to shrink it (3-6 months menopause), and I chose not to. It's good to meet somebody with the same date as me for abdominal surgery and hope you don't think I'm too nosy about your uterine dimensions! Asta
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