During the period of 1970 to 1979, 12 cases showed abnormal vaginal smears after hysterectomy in Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. Two cases with vaginal carcinoma in situ following hysterectomies for cervical carcinoma in situ, six cases of vaginal dysplasia after hysterectomies for gynecological malignancies (two of carcinoma in situ of the cervix, two of invasive carcinoma of the cervix, one of endometrial adenocarcinoma, and one of ovarian adenocarcinoma) are presented. From four cases of vaginal dysplasia without uterine malignancy, three cases developed following hysterectomies and the other one may be genuine primary vaginal dysplasia. Cellular findings of these intraepithelial changes of the vagina are nearly the same as cervical lesions.
Emphasis is directed towards the need for life long periodic vaginal smears of all patients with a history of previous hysterectomy for either malignant or benign lesion of gynecological field for the detection of vaginal intraepithelial changes.