Prospective study to investigate the use of fine needle aspiration techniques in UK veterinary practice. (6th June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bowlt, K. L.; Newton, R.; Murphy, S.; Blackwood, L.; Starkey, M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of small animal practice. Volume 55:Number 8(2014:Aug.)
• Page Start: 409
• Page End: 414
• Publication Date: 2014-06-06
• Subjects: Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; Veterinary Medicine -- Periodicals; 636.089
• DOI: 10.1111/jsap.12234
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4510

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jsap12234-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jsap12234-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives</title> <p id="jsap12234-para-0001"> <bold>To document the fine needle aspiration methods used by UK veterinary practitioners for the assessment of cutaneous masses and relate this to the achievement of a representative sample</bold>.</p> </sec> <sec id="jsap12234-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p id="jsap12234-para-0002"> <bold>An internet‐based questionnaire was designed and publicised in the UK national veterinary press, at a national surgical meeting, and in letters to veterinary surgeons</bold>.</p> </sec> <sec id="jsap12234-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p id="jsap12234-para-0003"> <bold>One hundred and seventy respondents replied to the questionnaire: 58 · 2% sampled cutaneous masses on the basis of appearance or behaviour; 41 · 3% sampled every cutaneous mass. Practitioners with a greater oncological caseload or who graduated more recently were more likely to recommend fine needle aspiration for every cutaneous mass (P = 0 · 019 and P = 0 · 0002 respectively); 66 · 5% of respondents applied suction during fine needle aspiration; 89% of all respondents used a 2 or 5 mL syringe in combination with a 21 or 23 G needle. There was no statistically significant association between achievement of a representative sample and syringe (P = 0 · 64) or needle size (P = 0 · 63)</bold>.</p> </sec> <sec id="jsap12234-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Clinical Significance</title> <p id="jsap12234-para-0004"> <bold>Fine needle aspiration is widely used in UK practice, but may be underutilised in practices with lower oncological caseloads. Survey participants reported a high rate of representative samples obtained using all the commonly used techniques. Further work is required to confirm these observations</bold>.</p> </sec> </abstract>