Abstract

The uterus is often justifiably removed when anatomically it is a normal organ. Unfortunately, such surgery often is viewed with suspicion because there is failure to communicate the justification to patients and uninformed critics. An effort is made in this manuscript to categorize procedures and thus more clearly delineate the indications for removal of the normal uterus. Reviewed is a total of 485 hysterectomies performed over a ten-year period in a medical school affiliated hospital providing training in obstetrics and gynecology for second-year residents and for third- and fourth-year medical students. Eighty-two of the 485 uteri removed (16.9%) were considered anatomically normal by the criteria set forth. The morbidity associated with these cases was minimal.