ABSTRACT
AIM: To assess indications and quality of frozen sections in digestive surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All the frozen sections from the department of digestive surgery from Amiens hospital performed between 01/07/2006 and 01/07/2010 were assessed. Assessment of frozen section forms, reading of pathology reports, and reviewing of frozen section slides were performed. RESULTS: Eight hundred frozen sections were performed in 349 patients. From one to 14 surgical specimens were sent for frozen section (mean 2.3). Frozen sections were performed in 77% of the cases for cancer surgery (n=268), most of the time pancreatic surgery (28.4%) and liver surgery (24.6%). Frozen sections were performed in 69% of the cases for diagnosis, in 29% of the cases to assess surgical margins and in 2% of the cases to assess if tissue specimen was appropriate for pathological diagnosis. Frozen sections were sent all days of the week (except Saturday and Sunday), during all the year, between 8 H 30 and 17 H 15. Thirty-seven percent of the cases were sent between 12 H and 14 H. Response time was 15 minutes (3 to 57 minutes). Rate of differed diagnoses was 2%. Rate of discordant diagnoses was 3.4%. CONCLUSION: Frozen section is a rapid and accurate tool in digestive surgery. Local adjustment of the organization of the Pathology Department could enhance the rapidity and the quality of pathology diagnoses.
