Each episode of care also has a primary operation
code’. The operation codes for hysterectomy are Q07
(abdominal excision of uterus) or Q08 (vaginal excision
of uterus). Endometrial ablation was assumed to be coded
as Q17 (therapeutic endoscopic operation on uterus) in
episodes where the diagnostic code was for dysfunctional
uterine bleeding. Episodes with both a primary diagnostic
code and operation code defined above were selected
from the Hospital Episode Statistics database.