Frozen Section

Answer 1

Frozen section is a rapid diagnostic procedure performed during surgery to provide immediate pathological assessment of tissues. This technique is used to evaluate tissue samples for malignancy, confirm the margins of excised tumors, and assist in surgical decision-making.

How Frozen Section Works
Tissue Sampling: A tissue sample is taken during surgery and quickly sent to the pathology lab.

Freezing: The sample is rapidly frozen using a cryostat, a specialized machine that freezes the tissue to a solid state, which allows thin sections to be cut.

Sectioning and Staining: The frozen tissue is sliced into thin sections, stained with dyes (e.g., hematoxylin and eosin), and examined under a microscope.

Immediate Diagnosis: The pathologist examines the stained tissue, often within 15–20 minutes, and communicates findings to the surgeon, who can make real-time decisions based on the results.

Applications of Frozen Section
Tumor Margins: Used to assess whether the excised tissue has clear margins, meaning no cancer cells are present at the edges, which reduces recurrence risk.

Lymph Node Involvement:Helps detect metastatic spread to lymph nodes, guiding the extent of lymph node dissection in cancers like breast and colorectal cancer.
Benign vs. Malignant Diagnosis: Determines if a lesion is benign or malignant, especially in cases where preoperative diagnosis is uncertain.
Organ Identification:Helps identify tissue types during complex surgeries (e.g., confirming parathyroid tissue during thyroid surgery).

Benefits and Limitations
Benefits: Quick results during surgery allow for immediate decisions, potentially avoiding the need for additional surgeries.
Limitations: Frozen sections have limitations in accuracy and may be less reliable for certain tissues (e.g., fatty or fibrous tissue). Some diagnoses require further permanent section analysis for confirmation.