Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, and sometimes also involves removing the cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes and surrounding structures. The document discusses different types of hysterectomy based on what is removed, and recommends placing excised specimens in neutral buffer formalin fixative immediately after removal and before opening, keeping the tissue thickness between 1-1.5cm, for 48 hours at 20-22°C to ensure proper fixation and prevent distortion.