anyone help explain what a frozen section is?

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daisybud
daisybud Member Posts: 541 Member
in Kidney Cancer #1

Hi all,

I have tried to research this, but thought I would see what you guys know too.  On my paperwork for my upcoming surgery on 2/16, it says "frozen section".  I seen on internet its done during surgery? What exactly are they doing it for? Pathology?

Sorry, I am still on a learning curve. 

Appreciate any input.

Kim 

Comments

  • medic1971
    medic1971 Member Posts: 225 Member
    #2
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    Checking the margins

    Yes this is used during surgery, for path, to check to see what type of tissue they are looking at.  It's difficult at times to know healthy tissue from diseased tissue...  

    That's my understanding anyways. As an RN by background is in the ER and clinical informatics.  surgery and pathology are strange and foreign places to me...

     

    I think that a frozen section lets the surgeon know, quickly, if he, or she, has healthy tissue or not and that's it.  A pathologist will have the entire mass to do their magic and alchemy and give the final diagnosis.

    I hope this helps.

    Jason 

     

  • daisybud
    daisybud Member Posts: 541 Member
    #3
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    medic1971 said:

    Checking the margins

    Yes this is used during surgery, for path, to check to see what type of tissue they are looking at.  It's difficult at times to know healthy tissue from diseased tissue...  

    That's my understanding anyways. As an RN by background is in the ER and clinical informatics.  surgery and pathology are strange and foreign places to me...

     

    I think that a frozen section lets the surgeon know, quickly, if he, or she, has healthy tissue or not and that's it.  A pathologist will have the entire mass to do their magic and alchemy and give the final diagnosis.

    I hope this helps.

    Jason 

     

    Jason,
    So do I understand

    Jason,

    So do I understand that it is to check for clean margins? I know dr said its going to be hard to get a large margin.  So hopefully it helps him during surgery to see if he can get clean margins.

    KIm

  • daisybud
    daisybud Member Posts: 541 Member
    #4
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    daisybud said:

    Jason,
    So do I understand

    Jason,

    So do I understand that it is to check for clean margins? I know dr said its going to be hard to get a large margin.  So hopefully it helps him during surgery to see if he can get clean margins.

    KIm

    Forgot to thank you for your

    Forgot to thank you for your fast response!!

  • a_oaklee
    a_oaklee Member Posts: 566 Member
    #5
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    In addition to what Medic

    In addition to what Medic said:

    The pathologist will be in the surgical suite at the time of the surgery.  The tissue sample is processed quickly using a frozen slice of the specimen and placed on a glass slide and looked at under the microscope.  They will confirm whether it is malignant or benign, and whether the margins are clear.   At a later time the pathologist will examine the gross specimen and process it by cutting pieces, placing them in paraffin, and taking microscopic slices placed on glass slides.  They are processed and dyed and analyzed in great detail.  This process takes much longer.  It's possible that your final pathology report will be available in a week, or more.

  • daisybud
    daisybud Member Posts: 541 Member
    #6
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    a_oaklee said:

    In addition to what Medic

    In addition to what Medic said:

    The pathologist will be in the surgical suite at the time of the surgery.  The tissue sample is processed quickly using a frozen slice of the specimen and placed on a glass slide and looked at under the microscope.  They will confirm whether it is malignant or benign, and whether the margins are clear.   At a later time the pathologist will examine the gross specimen and process it by cutting pieces, placing them in paraffin, and taking microscopic slices placed on glass slides.  They are processed and dyed and analyzed in great detail.  This process takes much longer.  It's possible that your final pathology report will be available in a week, or more.

    Thanks for all the great info!

    I knew you guys could help me out.

    Kim

  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,042 Member
    #7
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    daisybud said:

    Thanks for all the great info!

    I knew you guys could help me out.

    Kim

    Yes, it's a diagnostic tool

    With all the original tests done prior to surgery, the spots on the right side of my liver still had to be checked.  Utilizing an x-ray in the surgical suite, the surgeon took numerous wedges of liver that had a frozen section analysis done right there.  Those spots all turned out to be benigh-just cysts.

    I've never cared for liver or kidney, anyway.  And especially after donating more than I cared to.

    donna_lee

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