Oophorectomy

Oophorectomy is the surgical removal of the ovaries of a female animal. In the case of non-human animals, this is also called spaying. It is a form of sterilization.

The removal of the ovaries together with the Fallopian tubes is called salpingo-oophorectomy. Oophorectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy are not common forms of birth control in humans; more usual is tubal ligation, in which the Fallopian tubes are blocked but the ovaries remain intact.

In humans, oophorectomy is most usually performed together with a hysterectomy - the removal of the uterus. Its use in a hysterectomy when there are no other health problems is somewhat controversial.

In animals, spaying involves an invasive removal of the ovaries, but rarely has major complications; the superstition that it causes weight gain is not based on fact. Spaying is especially important for certain animals that require the ovum to be released at a certain interval (called estrus or "heat"), such as cats and dogs. If the cell is not released during these animal's heat, it can cause severe medical problems that can be averted by spaying or partnering the animal with a male.

Oophorectomy is sometimes referred to as castration, but that term is most often used to mean the removal of a male animal's testicles.

See also


Traumatology

Traumatology is the study of wounds and injuries caused by accidents or violence to a person, and the surgical treatment and repair of the damage. Traumatology is a branch of medicine. It is often considered a subset of emergency medicine. Traumatology may also be known as accident surgery.

Wounds and injuries are assessed as being serious or not serious (a process known as triage) upon admission in Casualty, or Accident and Emergency departments (A and E), or indeed emergency rooms (ER) in the US. A wound is usually caused by mechanical force, or sometimes by chemical reactions as in the case of burns.

Factors in the assessment of wounds are:

Forensic physicians, as well as pathologists may also be required to examine wounds (traumas) on persons alive or deceased.

Last updated: 03-15-2005 04:21:56