Biopsie

Biopsy is a necessary procedure for the diagnosis of numerous inflammatory or tumoural affections of the mouth-brain-facial zone. Usually, it refers to the sampling of a living tissue and preservation of its morphology by immediate fixation for future histological analysis. In any case, the clinician has to synthesize the anatomopathological results and clinical observations, in order to establish the most adapted therapeutic strategy. These last years, several complementary techniques have been developed in addition to standard biopsy: extemporaneous examination during surgery for the verification of the integrity of the tumour peripheral resection limits, or for the assessment of potential ganglionic metastasis; cytologic methods for fluid puncture or onlay smears performed on a mucous lesion or a ganglion section. Investigation techniques such as electronic microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and now molecular biology, may be used for biopsy samplings or cytology products. Most of them necessitate specific conservation conditions (freezing for some immunohistochemical reactions and for molecular biology, specific fixation agents for electronic microscopy). Although biopsy is necessary for malignant tumour screening and selection of an adapted therapeutic strategy, it induces some risks and thus its utilisation should be restricted and left at the discretion of those specialists able to establish its indication and avoid its related risks.