Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology of Epididymal Lesions- An Audit From Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of Eastern Nepal

Abstract

BACKGROUND Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) is a rapid, easily available technique for evaluation of nodular lesions of the epididymis and plays a prime role in the diagnosis of tubercular epididymitis and epididymo-orchitis. The aim of the study is to study the cytological findings of epididymal lesions to distinguish the inflammatory and neoplastic lesion, so that specific medical or surgical treatment can be early instituted. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fine-Needle Aspiration (FNA) was performed by 23G needle with 10 mL disposable plastic syringe. Both Papanicolaou and May-Grunwald-Giemsa stained smears were available in all cases and acid-fast stain were done in suspicious cases of tuberculosis and other granulomatous lesions. RESULTS A total of 234 cases attended for FNAC. Out of which, smears of 23 cases were found unsatisfactory and smears of 211 cases were studied for cytological findings. Epididymal cyst, acute epididymitis, chronic nonspecific epididymitis, tubercular epididymitis, filarial epididymitis, spermatocele, spermatic granuloma and adenomatoid tumour were found in 51(24.17%), 8(3.79%), 31(14.69%), 43(20.38%), 13(6.16%), 37(17.54%), 18(8.53%) and 10(4.74%) cases respectively. CONCLUSION FNAC is easier, cost effective, timesaving, minimally invasive, minimally traumatic and reliable first step outdoor or indoor procedure for the diagnosis of epididymal lesions, which guide the clinician for early institution of medical and surgical therapy.