title: Ultrasound-Guided Core Needle Biopsy for Head and Neck Mass Lesions in Patients Undergoing Antiplatelet or Anticoagulation Therapy: A Preliminary Report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the complications and diagnostic adequacy of ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) for head and neck mass lesions between patients who did and did not receive antiplatelet/anticoagulation therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was designed as a prospective case study including 146 consecutive patients who underwent US-guided CNB for head and neck mass lesions. Of these, 32 patients were undergoing antiplatelet/anticoagulation therapy involving aspirin, clopidogrel, cilostazol, and warfarin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the patients had clinical bleeding/hematoma in either group. Subclinical bleeding/hematoma recognized only by a US examination was not significantly different between the groups (P = .229). No other complications were noticed. The rate of unsatisfactory sampling was also not different between the groups (P > .999). Furthermore, when patients receiving aspirin (n = 18) were reclassified into the no-antiplatelet/anticoagulation therapy group, there was still no significant difference in the incidences of complications compared with the patients receiving clopidogrel, cilostazol, or warfarin (n = 14).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that US-guided CNB is safe and provides good diagnostic results without necessitating the discontinuation of antiplatelet/anticoagulation therapy in patients with head and neck mass lesions. However, as this was a preliminary study, the cohort was relatively small. Larger studies are needed to confirm our findings.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Dongbin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D061765:Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
keywords: aspirin; core needle biopsy; head and neck ultrasound; hematoma; warfarin