GLANDULAR CELLS IN VAGINAL SMEARS FROM POSTHYSTERECTOMY PATIENTS

OBJECTIVE: To assess the significance of nonatypical glandular cells i n vaginal smears from patients who had undergone total hysterectomy. S TUDY DESIGN: Vaginal smears with nonatypical glandular epithelium obta ined from post-total hysterectomy patients were identified in our file s over a 4.5-year period. The cytologic findings were correlated with the clinical data. RESULTS: Smears with nonatypical glandular epitheli um from 15 post-total hysterectomy patients were identified, making th is the largest series in the literature. The patients' mean age was 59 years. Most patients (73%) had a history of gynecologic malignancy, a nd 60% had received radiotherapy. All patients had a normal gynecologi c examination when the vaginal smear teas obtained. None of the patien ts developed recurrent or de novo vaginal adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION T he presence of nonatypical glandular epithelial cells in smears from t otal hysterectomy patients is not indicative of adenocarcinoma.