Types of radical hysterectomies : From Thoma Ionescu and Wertheim to present day

Abstract The treatment for cervical cancer is a complex, multidisciplinary issue, which applies according to the stage of the disease. The surgical elective treatment of cervical cancer is represented by the radical abdominal hysterectomy. In time, many surgeons perfected this surgical technique; the ones who stood up for this idea were Thoma Ionescu and Ernst Wertheim. There are many varieties of radical hysterectomies performed by using the abdominal method and some of them through vaginal and mixed way. Each method employed has advantages and disadvantages. At present, there are three classifications of radical hysterectomies which are used for the simplification of the surgical protocols: Piver-Rutledge-Smith classification which is the oldest, GCG-EORTC classification and Querlow and Morrow classification. The last is the most evolved and recent classification; its techniques can be adapted for conservative operations and for different types of surgical approaches: abdominal, vaginal, laparoscopic or robotic. Abbreviations: GCG-EORTC = Gynecologic Cancer Group of the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer; LEEP = loop electrosurgical excision procedure; I.O.B. = Institute of Oncology Bucharest; PRS = Piver-Rutledge-Smith