[The value of vaginal cytology after total hysterectomy for benign or malignant lesions (author's transl)].

The necessity of vaginal stump smears is demonstrated by way of 1773 smears taken from 846 hysterectomized patients. In 1,18 per cent of cases operated for benign indications there are found pathological changes on the vaginal end; 7,5 percent pathological neoplastic deformations are found following hysterectomy for carcinoma in situ; recurrences of cervical, corpus- and ovarial carcinomata are detected by vaginal stump smears at an early data. The leaving of a vaginal cuff is discussed as being responsible for the increased occurrence of new malignant growth following carcinoma in stu-operations. The other results are compared with those stated in literature.