A TLH or Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy is defined by the laparoscopic dissection of the ovarian arteries and veins with the removal of the uterus vaginally or abdominally, along with laparoscopic closure of the vaginal cuff. This is in contrast to other methods of removing the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries abdominal or vaginal. The standard abdominal hysterectomy is major surgery with a big belly incision, and a slow, painful recovery. Approximate recovery time: Six weeks. The vaginal hysterectomy can be done entirely through the vagina or using a laparoscope (the laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy, or LAVH).