What is biopsy?

Biopsy is a sample of tissue or fluid taken to examination more closely.
Its important factor for the determination of typical abnormality. For example, if some person is suspected of malignancy of any part of the body a biopsy sample is taken from the suspected part for the diagnosis.

What are types of biopsy?

1. Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA):

It is biopsy technique in which a fine long needle is inserted into a mass to aspirate small pieces of a tissue. For example, in case of   thyroid neck FNAC test is performed.

2.Extensional biopsy:

Extensional biopsy is the removal of whole mass of a part that is suspected.

3.Incisional biopsy:

A small part of the tissue is removed.

4.Core needle biopsy: 

It is similar to the FNA but in this technique a large hollow trocar or needle is used to aspirate the tissue.

Other types of specimens on the surgical field:

Stones:

Stones are removed from gall bladder, urinary tract and other body parts. The stones must be kept dry and transported in dry container.
Limbs after amputation:
In amputation procedure limbs are removed and handed over to scrub the scrub take it to the back table and transport it to the circulator carefully.

Any foreign body:

It is a non-tissue obtained from body patients’ body for example bullets knife blades.

Body fluids:

Body fluids such as pericardial fluid and synovial fluids are obtained by per-cutaneous methods and are removed by a needle or a syringe. Special care should be taken for sending the fluid in the syringe because needle of syringe can cause injury.


Frozen Section Tissue:

In the surgery some cases require immediate analysis of the body tissue a technique called frozen section is performed in which flash freezing of the tissue is done and then making the slices of tissues which can be microscopically examined.
In this technique a pathologist is required at the surgical field when the specimen is closed to removal.

Cultures:

The suspicion of infection in the tissue or fluid require culture. Culture technique is used to collect sample the culture tube in a sterile way.

How to handle specimens on the surgical field to transport:


1. The specimens are handled according to the surgeon’s guidance.
2. Never remove any anatomical markers made by the surgeon with sutures or clips.

3. The biopsy sample received must be kept in the 10% formalin or by other instructions of the surgeon.
4. Never remove any anatomical markers made by the
5. When more then one samples are taken theses should be handled separately.
6. The specimen must not be removed from the surgical field without the permission of the surgeon.
7. Never use water to preserve or moisten the specimen.
8. The specimen in the syringe must be carefully handled the syringe needle must be discarded or tilted so that the syringe can not cause the accidental injury while handling the specimen.
9. The specimen should be kept In a container according to the size of specimen.
10. The container must be labeled with the following information of the patient
a. Patient name
b. Medical registration number
c. Type of the tissue
d. Send to which department
e. Date and time
f. Surgeon name
g. The solution in which the specimen in preserved

11. The specimen should be transported on time.
12. Specimen should be transported in a special cart or container in which there are minimum chance of damage.