Clinically, cancer of the corporeal endometrium is a more insidious disease than cancer of the neck of the uterus, but since its frequent association with fibroids has been recognized (see [p. 52]) mainly as a consequence of the vulgarization of hysterectomy, many cases are detected fairly early and with improved results for the patients.
Mortality. The risk to life in abdominal hysterectomy for cancer of the body of the uterus is somewhat greater than after removal of the uterus for fibroids. This is due to the fact that when the cancer ulcerates and sloughs, the risk of sepsis is therefore increased; this also makes convalescence slower.
The remote results vary greatly; these depend in a large measure on the extent of the disease at the time of the operation. When the cancerous mass is compact, as in Fig. 19, good results may be expected. When the growth has perforated the uterine wall and small bud-like processes project on the serous surface, the disease may be expected to recur rapidly in the abdomen. Cancer of the uterus remains an opprobrium to operative gynæcology.
CHAPTER VIII
OPERATIONS FOR DISPLACEMENT OF THE UTERUS
HYSTEROPEXY (VENTRO-SUSPENSION AND VENTRO-FIXATION OF THE UTERUS)
Hysteropexy is a term applied to an operation for fixing the uterus, by means of sutures, to the anterior abdominal wall.
This procedure was advocated as a definite surgical operation for displacements of the uterus independently by Olshausen and Kelly (1886).
The operation when employed for severe retroflexion of the uterus is now known as ventro-suspension of the uterus; when carried out for prolapse it is termed ventro-fixation of the uterus. When care is taken in the selection of patients, hysteropexy is an operation which is followed by satisfactory consequences.