One of the most crucial steps in ensuring excellent surgical practice for head and neck condition is having a reliable pathologist specialized in the field.
They play a paramount role before, during and after surgery. One of the most important preoperative exams is a biopsy, to understand the underlining cause of a head and neck mass, ulcer or other lesions. One specific type of biopsy is called “fine needle biopsy” or “cytology”.
It is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a thin needle to collect samples for diagnostic purposes, particularly helpful in diagnosing head and neck conditions.
Fine needle biopsies are usually conducted at a medical office with or without ultrasound guidance depending on the depth of the mass.
It is infrequent to perform fine needle cytology under sedation.
Still in this case, our young patient only 6 years old needed help overcoming his fears of needles to collect a sample from a mass in his left parotid gland Once the sample was obtained guided by ultrasound, the pathologist and his technician prepared it for immediate microscopic observation.
that way getting a ready and prompt initial diagnosis was possible.
The sample was sent to the lab for final testing and confirmation.
Fortunately for this young boy the condition was benign, promptly and easily treated.
To know more visit FACES website, your guide to the head and neck surgery.
