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Stops of. Total abdominal hysterectomy

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https://atlasofpelvicsurgery.org/5Uterus/10TotalAbdominalHys…

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Here are the steps of Total Abdominal Hysterectomy (TAH), based on Sabiston Textbook of Surgery and the Atlas of Pelvic Surgery:

Total Abdominal Hysterectomy — Surgical Steps

Pre-operative

  • Foley catheter placed to decompress the bladder
  • Patient positioned supine under general anaesthesia
  • Abdominal incision: low transverse (Pfannenstiel) or vertical midline — choice depends on indication, body habitus, prior surgery, and pathology size

Intra-operative Steps

1. Entry & Exposure
  • Abdominal wall opened in layers
  • Self-retaining retractor (e.g. Balfour) placed
  • Bowel packed away with moist laparotomy pads
  • Uterus grasped with straight Kocher clamps for traction
2. Division of Round Ligaments (Figure 120.12 A)
  • Round ligament grasped with clamp laterally, divided with electrocautery or ligated with delayed absorbable suture and divided medially
  • This opens access to the broad ligament
3. Opening the Broad Ligament (Figure 120.12 B)
  • Anterior leaf of broad ligament incised medially toward the internal cervical os
  • Initiates development of the bladder flap
  • Posterior leaves opened similarly
4. Bladder Dissection (Figure 120.12 C)
  • Vesicouterine peritoneum elevated
  • Bladder dissected off the lower uterine segment and cervix — sharply with Metzenbaum scissors or electrocautery
  • Bladder retracted inferiorly, well below the cervix
5a. Ovarian/Tube Management (if BSO planned) (Figure 120.12 D)
  • Ureters identified
  • Infundibulopelvic (IP) ligament doubly clamped with curved Heaney/Zeppelin clamps, incised, and doubly ligated
  • Pedicle on specimen side also ligated to prevent back-bleeding
5b. Uteroovarian vessels (if ovaries preserved) (Figure 120.12 F)
  • Two curved Kelly or Heaney clamps placed across the uteroovarian vessels
  • Divided and doubly ligated
6. Skeletonization of Uterine Vessels
  • Posterior broad ligament leaves incised inferiorly to skeletonize uterine vessels along the lateral uterus
7. Ligation of Uterine Vessels (Figure 120.12 G)
  • Curved Heaney/Zeppelin clamp placed across uterine vessels at the level of the internal cervical os
  • Pedicle cut and suture-ligated bilaterally
8. Division of Cardinal & Uterosacral Ligaments (Figure 120.12 G)
  • Bladder fully dissected below cervix
  • Straight Heaney/Zeppelin clamps placed serially on cardinal and uterosacral ligaments bilaterally
  • Each pedicle cut and suture-ligated in stepwise fashion until the external cervical os level is reached
9. Colpotomy & Specimen Removal (Figure 120.12 H)
  • Curved clamps placed across the vagina medial to the prior pedicles, just below the cervix
  • Curved scissors cut above the clamps → uterus and cervix separated from the vaginal vault
  • Alternatively: direct sharp incision into the vagina just below the cervix, extended circumferentially
10. Vaginal Cuff Closure (Figure 120.12 I)
  • Lateral angles: Heaney transfixion stitches ligate vaginal corners — incorporating ipsilateral uterosacral ligament for apical support
  • Midline: closed with running, interrupted, or figure-of-eight absorbable sutures
11. Reperitonealization & Closure
  • Pelvis reperitonealized with running 2-0 absorbable suture (anterior to posterior leaf of broad ligament)
  • Ligament stumps buried retroperitoneally
  • Abdominal wall closed in layers

Summary Diagram (from Sabiston)

StepStructure
ARound ligament transected
BAnterior & posterior broad ligament incised
CBladder dissected off cervix
DOvarian vessels divided (if BSO)
EOpportunistic salpingectomy (if done)
FUteroovarian vessels divided (if ovaries kept)
GUterine vessels + cardinal + uterosacral ligaments divided
HVagina incised, specimen excised
IVaginal cuff closed

Key Anatomical Caution

  • Ureter must be identified before clamping the IP ligament and uterine vessels — the ureter runs ~1–2 cm lateral to the cervix and can be displaced by pelvic pathology (endometriosis, PID).

— Sabiston Textbook of Surgery, p. 2799–2800; Atlas of Pelvic Surgery, 3rd ed.
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