RT Journal
A1 Prey MU, Vitale T, Martin SA
T1 GUidelines for practical utilization of intraoperative frozen sections
JF Archives of Surgery
JO Archives of Surgery
YR 1989
FD March 1
VO 124
IS 3
SP 331
OP 335
DO 10.1001/archsurg.1989.01410030081013
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.1989.01410030081013
AB • We reviewed 4057 intraoperative frozen sections from 1980 through 1984 to assess the accuracy, strengths, and weaknesses of this technique. Breast, lymph node, and skin comprised half of the sites evaluated. Frozen-section and final diagnoses agreed in 91.5% and disagreed in 6.8% of the cases; 1.7% of the cases were deferred. False-negative frozen-section diagnoses were due to pathologist sampling or judgment errors and surgeon sampling errors. There were eight (0.15%) false-positive diagnoses, none of which altered patient treatment. We recommend that lymph nodes for lymphoproliferative disorders and breast tissue for which a malignant diagnosis will not result in an immediate mastectomy not be submitted for frozen-section diagnosis. Appropriate studies of these tissues can be carried out without an intraoperative diagnosis; such a policy will increase the cost-effectiveness of frozen sections without compromising patient care.(Arch Surg 1989;124:331-335)