Description of the procedure
An oophorectomy is a surgical procedure to remove one or both ovaries. Oophorectomy may also be used to remove part of an ovary. The ovaries produce eggs as well as the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Removal of one ovary still allows a woman to continue to menstruate and to have children, as long as the remaining ovary is not damaged. When both ovaries are removed, menstrual periods stop, a woman can no longer become pregnant, and estrogen and progesterone are no longer produced by the reproductive system.
Doctors perform this procedure in a hospital under general anesthetic.
The female reproductive system, including the vaginal canal, cervix, uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. During an oophorectomy, one or both ovaries are removed.
When should this procedure be performed?
Doctors perform this procedure as required to remove either one or both ovaries.
Why is this procedure performed?
The main reason for an oophorectomy is to treat problems related to a woman's reproductive organs. Cancer of one or both of the ovaries, prevention of ovarian cancer, and removal of ovarian cysts or abscesses may also require a woman to have an oophorectomy.
An oophorectomy may also be needed if a woman has a type of cancer that is stimulated by estrogen. Breast cancer may be treated with an oophorectomy or it may reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. Removing one or both ovaries reduces the body's estrogen level in these cases.
Severe cases of endometriosis can also be treated with this procedure to reduce estrogen levels.
Are there any risks and precautions I should know about?
Certain risks are common to all surgery and every time a general anesthetic is used. These include side effects of the anesthetic, breathing problems, infection, bleeding, and death.
Although oophorectomy is generally considered safe, it does have some risk of side effects or complications. The most common complication is damage to nearby organs during the procedure.