FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY (FNAC)

Objectives: The objective of this study was role of fine needle aspirationcytology (FNAC) and neck swellings. Study Design: Observational study. Place and Durationof Study: This study was conducted at surgical department of multiple hospitals and comparesthe results, JPMC, Civil Hospital Karachi, Naushahro Feroze and Jamshoro, from January 2015to October 2015. Methodology: This study consisted of 145 patients. All patients presentingwith multiple neck swellings attended as outdoor patient at a tertiary care hospital. BeforeFNAC, patients were screened, which included the recording of clinical history and clinicalfindings are important. The proper investigations were carried out according to the needs. Aftera brief description of the procedure, the patient’s informed consent was obtained. Results:83(57.24%) males and 62(42.75%) females. Ratio between the male and female is 1.33:1.Mean age was found to be 41.57+4.54 years (25 to 60 years). Patients presented in OPDfor multiple neck swelling likely lymph nodes were involved in 70(48.27%) cases, followed bySalivary Gland in 26(17.93%) cases and thyroid in 35(24.16%) cases. Soft tissue and other wereinvolved in 8(5.51%) cases and 6(4.13%) cases respectively. Fine needle aspiration cytologyresults showed Lymph node mostly involved in tuberculous 42(28.96%) cases while metastaticinvolved in 4(2.75%) cases. Thyroid FNAC showed mostlygoitre 21(14.48%) cases and rarelyinvolved malignant disease like papillary carcinoma 1(0.68%) case and medullary carcinomain 2(1.37%) cases. Salivary Gland results showed pleomorphic adenoma in 14(9.65%) casesand sialadenitis in 8(5.51%) cases were involved. Lipoma in 5(3.44%) cases. Conclusion:We conclude that fine needle aspiration cytology is a rapid, simple and accurate diagnosis oftissues that can be made from outside the patient. FNAC provides a simple method of diagnosisof neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions of head and neck.