Intraoperative cytology as an elective surgical procedure: Analysis of 57 cases

Fifty-seven consecutive cases submitted by surgeons for intraoperative cytology were reviewed. In 47 cases there was a concomitant biopsy from the same anatomic site; among them, the cytologic and surgical diagnoses agreed in 44 (94%). The three discordant cases (6%) represented false-negative frozen sections. In the remaining 10 cases the cytologic and surgical biopsy sites differed in 5, 4 were considered inadequate for cytologic interpretation, and 1 did not have a corresponding surgical biopsy. Attitudes toward the use of intraoperative cytology were assessed with questionnaires sent to surgeons from all specialties represented at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center. Fifty-three percent of the respondents reported use of this procedure. At our institution thoracic surgeons and otorhinolaryngologists were more apt than others to use intraoperative cytology as an adjunct to frozen section analysis. Factors influencing their selection of intraoperative cytology are discussed.