Hysterectomy: A Five Year Survey in a General Hospital
Hysterectomy is today one of the most commonly performed gynecological procedures. Just seventy years ago this operation was regarded with considerable concern because of the high associated mortality rate. Thornton (1), in 1883, reviewed the literature on hysterectomy to that date and found that the reported mortality rate was slightly over 40 per cent. In discussion of Dr. Thornton’s paper, P.G. Thomas (1) stated that there was, "no more dangerous gynecologist than he who goes forth determined to extricate the uterus for solid tumors." Considering this high mortality rate, it is not difficult to understand their great concern when faced with the necessity of performing such an operation.
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