Touska P, Oikonomou G, Ngu R, Chandra A, Malhotra A, Fry A, Oakley R, Arora A, Jeannon JP, Simo R. The role of transoral fine needle aspiration in expediting diagnosis and reducing risk in head and neck cancer patients in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era: a single-institution experience.
J Laryngol Otol 2020;
134:1-8. [PMID:
32873344 PMCID:
PMC7533497 DOI:
10.1017/s0022215120001929]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has necessitated rapid alterations to diagnostic pathways for head and neck cancer patients that aim to reduce risk to patients (exposure to the hospital environment) and staff (aerosol-generating procedures). Transoral fine needle aspiration cytology offers a low-risk means of rapidly diagnosing patients with oral cavity or oropharyngeal lesions. The technique was utilised in selected patients at our institution during the pandemic. The outcomes are considered in this study.
METHOD
Diagnostic outcomes were retrospectively evaluated for a series of patients undergoing transoral fine needle aspiration cytology of oral cavity and oropharyngeal lesions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
RESULTS
Five patients underwent transoral fine needle aspiration cytology, yielding lesional material in 100 per cent, with cell blocks providing additional information. In one case, excision biopsy of a lymphoproliferative lesion was required for final diagnosis.
CONCLUSION
Transoral fine needle aspiration cytology can provide rapid diagnosis in patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal lesions. Whilst limitations exist (including tolerability and lesion location), the technique offers significant advantages pertinent to the COVID-19 era, and could be employed in the future to obviate diagnostic surgery in selected patients.
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