Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Unnecessary Hysterectomies, the Second Most Common Major Surgery in the United States
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, 2:17 p.m., in room SD - 430, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Mikulski (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Present: Senator Mikulski.
Opening Statement of Senator Mikulski
Senator Mikulski. Good afternoon. 'Id like to convene today's hearing and apologize to our witnesses for my lateness. I was at the White House for a meeting on health insurance reform and did not want to leave the room while the conversation was still going on. So I apologize for any inconvenience I have caused the witnesses and so look forward to hearing the testimony of each and every one of my panelists.
Today, we are going to look at the examination of the rates of unnecessary hysterectomies in the United States of America. I'd like to thank all of you for being here, and Id especially like to thank our witnesses, who have taken time off from their own jobs, their families, their medical and research practices to come and testify. I know that in many cases, you will be bringing up painful memories, and I salute your courage in coming here today.
This is the first congressional hearing since 1976 on this topic, and we are going to spotlight and investigate a most disturbing fact - the fact that hysterectomies remain the second most common surgical procedure in the United States of America, and research indicates that often it is too much surgery for not enough compelling reason, and for reasons that are little understood, rarely evaluated, and no real understanding of the mental and physical tolls that it takes.
In 1976 when my predecessors held a similar hearing, Congress investigated the rate of hysterectomies and found that between 24 and 46 percent of hysterectomies were not necessary. Now, more than 15 years later, with the advancement of medical research, consciousness raising among women, today's testimony will show that at least 24 to 30 percent of hysterectomies are still unnecessary. This is not a satisfactory set of statistics.
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