Today’s surgery was fairly straightforward in the beginning, with an interesting twist towards the end. Through MRI imaging and examination, the patient had been diagnosed with bilateral ovarian masses and scheduled to undergo a robotic assisted hysterectomy with removal of both fallopian tubes and removal of one or both ovaries. The hysterectomy part went just as planned; but the portion following the surgery was the most fascinating.
One of Dr. Heffernan and I’s favorite things to do during an operation is follow specimens to the pathology room and see their diagnosis. Pathologists use what is called a frozen section to analyze cells under a powerful microscope. It is a very fascinating process to observe: tissue samples are frozen with liquid nitrogen, then sliced into minuscule sections to be stained and placed under the microscope. Then, the pathologist is called in to evaluate the specimen and make an official diagnosis. The pathology room is set up with three microscopes that all look at the same slide, which means Dr. Heffernan, the pathologist, and I can view the specimen simultaneously. The pathologist’s diagnosis was that the mass was ovarian mature cystic teratoma, indicating a good prognosis for the patient.
