Surgery · 6 min read · May 2026

Surgery has been advised: the six questions to ask before you agree

Not every fibroid or cyst needs removing. A second opinion is not a discourtesy to the first doctor; it is the ordinary way of checking that an operation is the right answer for you and not simply the available one.

What is the indication, in writing?

Ask for the reason to be written on the card: size, symptoms, growth on serial scans, or a finding that must be excluded. If the reason is that a scan report used the word fibroid, that is not an indication by itself.

What happens if I do nothing for six months?

For many benign findings the honest answer is that nothing happens, and a repeat scan is the correct next step. For others, waiting has a cost. Both answers are legitimate; not being given either is not.

What are the alternatives?

Medical management, a hormone-releasing device, or a less extensive operation. Where fertility is a consideration, myomectomy against hysterectomy is a decision that must be made with you, before theatre is booked.

Who operates, and by what route?

The route — laparoscopic, hysteroscopic, vaginal or open — should follow the size, the site and your previous surgery, not the surgeon’s preference. Ask whether the person you have consulted is the person who will operate.

What will it cost, and what is not included?

An estimate in writing that names the hospital, the length of stay, the histopathology and what happens if the operation takes longer than planned.

What does recovery actually look like?

Days to being upright, days to driving, days to work, and days to lifting. Typical ranges, stated as ranges rather than promises.