Histopathological analysis of hysterectomy specimens

This was a retrospective study carried out on all hysterectomy specimens sent to Department of Pathology of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal from 1st September 2005 to 28th February 2006, to study the histopathological findings of these specimens. All informations used in the study were obtained from the records of Department of Pathology of the hospital. Out of 221 hysterectomy specimens received during the study period, 139 (62.9%) were total abdominal and 82 (37.1%) were vaginal hysterectomy specimens. Mean age of the patient was 53.4 years for vaginal hysterectomy group where as it was 37.6 years for total abdominal hysterectomy with unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and 46.3 years for total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy group. Uterine prolapse was commonest indication of hysterectomy overall (37.1%) and accounted for 98.8% of vaginal hysterectomies. Other common indications of hysterectomy were uterine fibroid (24.9%), ovarian tumor (14.9%) and dysfunctional uterine bleeding (7.7%). Leimyoma was the most common pathology found in uterine corpus (27.1%). Chronic cervicitis in cervix, functional cysts in ovaries and paratubal cysts in fallopian tubes were most common histological findings. Ovarian neoplasms accounted for 18.3% of ovarian pathology. 38% specimens were unremarkable histopathologically. In Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, abdominal hysterectomies are more common than vaginal hysterectomies. Most vaginal hysterectomies are done for uterine prolapse and patients are older than those undergoing abdominal hysterectomies. Most abdominal hysterectomies are performed for uterine leiomyomas. Hysterectomy specimens may be unremarkable histopathologically, most of which are vaginal hysterectomies done for uterine prolapse.