Oophorectomy (say "oh-uh-fuh-REK-tuh-mee") is a type of surgery. It removes one, both, or part of your ovaries. Your ovaries store and release eggs, which can develop into embryos if fertilized by sperm. They also make sex hormones.
This surgery can be done for many reasons. Your doctor may want to look for or remove ovarian growths or cancer. Sometimes the uterus and ovaries are taken out at the same time. And in some cases, one or both of the fallopian tubes are removed too.
You will be asleep during the surgery. To do the surgery, the doctor makes a cut in your belly. This cut is called an incision. Then the doctor removes one or both of your ovaries and any growths that are seen. Next, the doctor closes the incision with stitches. The incision leaves a scar that fades over time.
Tissue samples from any growths that are found will be sent to a lab to check for cancer. This is called a biopsy.
Most people go home 2 to 3 days after surgery. You can expect to feel better each day. But you will probably need about 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover.
If both ovaries are removed, you can only get pregnant with help from a medical procedure. If you want to use your eggs for a possible pregnancy in the future, talk to your doctor about your options.
Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.
Open oophorectomy is surgery to remove one, both, or part of your ovaries. Your doctor made a cut (incision) in your lower belly to do this.
After surgery, you can expect to feel better and stronger each day. But you may need pain medicine for a week or two. You may get tired easily or have less energy than usual. This may last for several weeks after surgery. You will probably notice that your belly is swollen and puffy. This is common. The swelling will take several weeks to go down. You may take 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover. It's important to avoid lifting while you are recovering so that you can heal.
If you had both ovaries removed, you will start menopause if you haven't already started it. Your doctor may prescribe you hormone therapy.
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