Unexpected pathology at vaginal hysterectomy for genital prolapse

Uterovaginal prolapse was a common disabling condition in multiparous women of advancing age in post-menopausal women. Among the various types of prolapse, second degree of uterovaginal prolapse was the most common finding and these all had normal coloured healthy looking cervix having normal cervical cytology and endometrial biopsy. Every vaginal hysterectomy specimen was subjected to detailed histopathological examination and out of all hysterectomy specimens; occult squamous carcinoma of cervix was detected in spite of normal previous cytology showing the false negativity of these screening tests. So it is necessary that every vaginal hysterectomy specimen, even if it grossly looks to be normal, should be subjected for detailed histopathological examination, so that the lady who was operated can have better follow up after recognition of unexpected finding