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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Theresa Larkin

Push to change ‘misogynistic’ name of one of the world’s most common surgeries

A hysterectomy is one of the most common surgeries worldwide - (Getty)

Have you had a tonsillectomy (your tonsils taken out), appendectomy (your appendix removed) or lumpectomy (removal of a lump from your breast)? The suffix “ectomy” denotes surgical removal of the named body part, so these terms give us a clear idea of what the procedure entails.

So why is the removal of the uterus called a hysterectomy and not a uterectomy?

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