RESUMO
The endoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology may add to the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic biopsy and brush cytology. It is also of particular value in submucosal, infiltrative and ulceronecrotic tumors. Endoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology was done with sclerotherapy needle(23 gauge) in. the 17 patients with submucosal tumor(18 cases), extrinsic compression(2 cases), infiltrative gastric cancer(one case) and cancer of the ampulla of Vater(one case) on the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Endoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology established the diagnosis in 6 cases(submucosal tumor of the stomach; 2 cases, submucosal tumor of the duodenum; one case, extrinsic mass of the duodenum; one case, infiltrative cancer of the stomach; one case, and the cancer of ampulla of Vater; one case) of 17 cases. There were negative results for malignancy in 7 cases and material insufficiency in 4 cases. Five cases of the positive results with endoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology were not diagnosed with endoscopic forceps biopsies. There was no complication. We conclude that endoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology is a simple and safe technique and is of particular value in submucosal tumor, extrinsic compression of the upper gastrointestinal tract by tumor, and infiltrative gastric cancer.