FROZEN SECTION: THE NEED FOR INTRA-OPERATIVE CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE SURGEON, AND THE PATHOLOGIST

Abstract Intra-operative consultation between the surgeon and the pathologist is very important. Frozen section technique performed by an experienced pathologist requested for by a surgeon well known to him or her is most valuable in this regard. The aim of frozen section is to establish the presence and nature ofa lesion, adequacy of resection margins, positivity of lymph nodes, and the presence of malignant implants or metastasis in other organs. It however may not be possible to determine theaccurate mitotic count and the degree of dysplasia by frozen sections.Although there were various descriptions of frozen sectiontechnique before and after the turn of the 20th century, LB Wilsonof the Mayo Clinic heralded the beginning of a new era in intraoperativediagnosis.The purpose of this review is therefore to activate intra-operativeconsultation between the surgeon and the pathologist usingfrozen sections, as this will improve clinical services, give bettertraining to resident doctors and improve hospital income.