How a hysterectomy can help overcome the problem most women will suffer if the ’80s icon gets the big procedure done by robot

By Liam On Oct 11, 2024

TV presenter Jenny Powell has revealed she has had a hysterectomy after suffering severe fibroid symptoms for years.

The 56-year-old, a former DJ presenter of Top of The Pops and ITV’s Wheel of Fortune, shared an update from her hospital bed on Thursday following the operation, which was carried out by a robot.

She said: ‘I am relieved that the symptoms I have lived with for so long will now disappear.’

A hysterectomy is a major operation that removes the entire uterus and may be performed to treat pelvic pain, fibroids, or heavy periods.

Fibroids are noncancerous growths made up of muscular and fibrous tissue that develop around the uterus.

Jenny Powell revealed she has undergone a hysterectomy performed by a robot as she shared an update from her hospital bed on Thursday

The condition, which will affect two-thirds of women at some point in their lives, can cause heavy periods, back and stomach pain, constipation and a frequent need to urinate – all symptoms Powell has struggled with for years.

In an Instagram video, which has amassed more than 2,900 likes, the presenter revealed that her uterus weighed 1kg when it was removed.

‘My uterus weighed 1 kg, so I carried a heavy burden. “I am now looking forward to recovery and doing my best to eat well,” she said.

In the video caption, she added, “An enlarged uterus, fibroids and adenomyosis is something I lived with. Heavy painful bleeding, constipation and constant urination were all things I got used to.”

Adenomyosis is a gynecological condition that affects approximately one in ten women.

It occurs when the uterine lining grows into the uterine wall, causing the uterus to thicken.

Before her surgery, she explained in a clip on her Instagram Story: “I’ve been suffering from all kinds of symptoms for so long and have tried everything, but yes, it’s time.”

Doctors don’t know exactly why it develops, but suspect there may be a genetic link.

Like fibroids, adenomyosis can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, bloating, and an enlarged uterus.

Undergoing a hysterectomy is a possible treatment for fibroids and adenomyosis, but is typically offered when other treatments, such as medications, have not worked and a woman does not want to have any or more children.

Approximately 55,000 hysterectomy operations are performed in the UK each year. Most of these are performed on women between the ages of 40 and 50.

WHAT IS A HYSTERECTOMY?

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure in which a woman’s uterus is removed.

There are three types:

PARTIAL HYSTERECTOMY: Removes two-thirds of the uterus.
TOTAL HYSTERECTOMY: Removes uterus and cervix.
RADICAL HYSTERECTOMY: Removes uterus, cervix and ovaries.

The operation is usually performed on women between the ages of 40 and 49.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 20 million American women have had a hysterectomy.

As women approach menopause, the likelihood that they will develop one of many serious uterine health problems increases. Doctors may recommend a hysterectomy as a treatment for:

fibroids
endometriosis
cancer of the womb (endometrial cancer).
chronic uterine pain or bleeding
collapsed uterus

In some cases, doctors may suggest a hysterectomy as a preventive measure if a woman has significant warnings or early signs of developing one or more of these conditions.

If necessary, surgeons can also remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes if they are also damaged or at serious risk of damage.

The removal of reproductive organs causes a woman’s body to enter menopause, no matter how old she is.

This is associated with unpleasant side effects such as hot flashes, and many women need to start hormone therapy, using estrogen to balance their own hormones.

Powell has also previously spoken about her struggle with menopause, which left her “tired and depressed.”

Menopause, which causes women’s periods to stop, is a normal part of aging and usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, when a woman’s levels of the sex hormone estrogen drop.

Around eight in 10 women will experience menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, sleep problems, low mood or anxiety and problems with memory, according to the NHS.

Treatments doctors can provide include hormone replacement therapy, such as tablets, skin patches, and gels that replace estrogen.

In 2022, Powell was forced to go to hospital after severe menopausal symptoms left her struggling to “get out of bed every day.”

She told Closer magazine: ‘Menopause affected me mentally and I didn’t feel like myself. My periods were terrible, I had to change clothes about five times a day and I lost so much blood that I became anemic. I was really tired and depressed.

‘I had trouble getting out of bed and I couldn’t wait to go back to bed at night.’

Powell also revealed on her Instagram ahead of the surgery that the hysterectomy would be performed by a robot.

The high-tech remote-controlled machines were deployed by NHS Trusts to help tackle the backlog of women who have missed crucial operations during the Covid pandemic.

Although the devices cost just under £2 million each, they reduce the time it takes to perform the delicate operation, and because they also work with pinpoint accuracy, it also means patients recover faster.

The surgical system, called Hominis, is controlled by a human controller who maneuvers the robotic arms while watching the procedure in real time on a screen.

The robot features shoulder, elbow and wrist joints for human-level dexterity and 360-degree articulation.

An additional arm guides a laparoscopic video camera through a small, separate incision to help visualize the internal procedure.

Hominis enters through the vagina to perform the hysterectomy and then wraps its arms around the uterus to perform the operation.