Radical hysterectomy refers to the removal of the uterus and cervix and, in addition, to the removal of the upper one-half to one-third of the vagina, the parametria and the pelvic lymph nodes. This operation, which is commonly called the Wertheim operation, was actually first described by Clark in the United States and Ries in Germany. Wertheim\u27s original operation for carcinoma of the cervix consisted only of a partial parametrial removal and removal of the upper one-third of the vagina. It did not include pelvic lymphadenectomy or the removal of the lateral portions of the parametria
