Surgery will normally be carried out under a general anaesthetic so you’ll be asleep during the procedure. During the operation the surgeon will be using very small, precision instruments while looking at the area through a microscope.
A biopsy is taken in a number of different ways. A ‘needle’ biopsy uses a long needle to withdraw a small sample of tissue. An endoscopic biopsy uses a thin flexible telescope to look into various parts of the body - it can also withdraw a biopsy of tissue. An excisional biopsy is the removal of the whole abnormal area of tissue for analysis. A perioperative biopsy is the removal and immediate analysis of a small tissue sample - this helps the surgeon make an instant decision on how to proceed with the operation. Imaging techniques, such as X-ray, ultrasound, CT scanning or MRI scanning are often used to guide the surgeon when taking a biopsy.
Depending on the exact nature of the condition, your surgeon may need to perform procedures inside your ear, nose, mouth or throat, a combination of these areas.
