Crush intraoperatory analysis in craniopharyngioma

Intraoperative smear cytology provides a rapid and reliable intraoperative diagnosis and guidance to the neurosurgeon during surgical resection and lesion targeting. It also helps the surgeon to monitor and modify the approach at surgery. The aim of this article was a clinicopathological and cytomorphological intraoperative crush smear correlation in craniopharyngioma. Thirty craniopharyngiomas were included in this study. Twenty-seven cases were adaCP and only three cases were papCP. This series included 16 (53%) males and 14 (47%) females adult patients, aged from 15 to 86 years (median, 49 year). Two cases were frank errors, 12 cases showed partial correlation, 5 cases showed incomplete typing of the cell type, and 7 cases discrepancy in type of tumors. The percent error was 14%. Correlations with clinical details and radiological findings were helpful in improving the accuracy rate. Smear technique is a fairly accurate, relatively safe, rapid, simple, easily reproducible, and cost-effective tool to diagnose brain tumors. Smear cytology is of great value in intraoperative consultation of central nervous system pathology. The cytological aspects and smear patterns disclose important complementary diagnostic information for the histopathological examination.