title: Transcutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy of the preepiglottic space.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate transcutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy of the preepiglottic space for staging supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 28 patients who underwent total or horizontal supraglottic laryngectomy as their main therapy modality due to supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma, followed in some cases by adjuvant radiation therapy. All the patients underwent transcutaneous fine needle aspiration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cytopathologic examination of the material obtained by aspiration was compared to the histopathologic analysis of the laryngectomy specimens; the efficiency was 96.4%. The method did not cause any morbidity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transcutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy of the preepiglottic space is useful for preepiglottic space evaluation, with a high correlation with histopathologic results and no morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Service of Head and Neck Surgery, Complexo Hospitalar Heliópolis, São Paulo, Brazil. r.dedivitis@bsnet.com.br
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dedivitis
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rapoport
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004825:Epiglottis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity