After a vaginal hysterectomy, the removed uterus is sent to which department for examination?

After a vaginal hysterectomy, the removed uterus is sent to the pathology department for examination. This is standard practice in surgical procedures involving the removal of any tissue or organ. The pathology department is responsible for the microscopic examination of tissue samples and whole organs to assess for any abnormalities, diseases, or cancerous cells. By examining the removed uterus, pathologists can diagnose various conditions that may have necessitated the hysterectomy, such as fibroids, endometriosis, or malignancies.

Sending the specimen to pathology allows for critical information to be gathered that informs the patient's diagnosis and future treatment options. This administrative procedure is crucial in ensuring that patient care is optimized based on accurate pathologic findings.

Other departments, such as radiology, immunology, and microbiology, serve distinct functions and are not primarily involved in the analysis of removed tissue for disease diagnostics following surgical procedures like hysterectomy.