title: Efficacy of incisional vs punch biopsy in the histological diagnosis of periocular skin tumours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of incisional and punch biopsy techniques in obtaining correct histological diagnosis of periorbital eyelid tumours. The technique of punch biopsy is presented and described in detail.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was made of 20 consecutive incisional biopsies and 20 consecutive punch biopsies. In each case, the histology obtained at biopsy was compared with that identified at the time of tumour excision.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 40 consecutive biopsies on 38 patients were analysed. The first 20 were incisional; the second 20 were punch biopsies. Of the 20 incisional biopsy specimens, 19 were confirmed accurate at the time of excision of the lesion. Of the 20 punch biopsies, 17 were confirmed accurate at the time of excision. These correspond to accuracy rates of 95 and 85%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both incisional and punch biopsy techniques have relatively high accuracy rates and there is a high concordance between tissue diagnoses made by each of these techniques. Incisional techniques should preferably be performed on any atypical lesion. Punch biopsy is a quick and simple procedure. It is easy to perform in an outpatient environment and requires a minimum of surgical equipment and no specific surgical skills. If the site of biopsy is carefully chosen, this simple technique provides tissue specimens of adequate size and quality for accurate histology and is a most useful adjunct in the management of periocular tumours.
authors.affiliation: Kent County Ophthalmic Hospital, Maidstone, Kent. ricejs@metroweb.co.za
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zaragoza
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Waheed
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D005142:Eyelid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies