The aspiration of a cyst is a medical procedure in which fluid or cells are removed from a cyst with a needle. This is often done to do a biopsy. The needle is usually inserted directly through the skin and may be guided by ultrasound so the doctor can see what he is doing. Other equipment may also be required. The contents of the cyst are drawn into a syringe for further investigation.
One of the main reasons for performing a cyst aspiration is to do a biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure in which a specialist looks at cells in samples of tissue or fluid under a microscope to see if there are cancer cells. This is the main way doctors can tell if a lump is cancerous or benign. They can also tell what type of cancer it is by looking at the shape of the cells.
The doctor performing the aspiration of the cyst will guide the needle with his hands if it can be detected through the skin or may use an ultrasound or other imaging machine to view the lump on a screen as he works. They will then insert the needle directly into the affected area and may move the needle in and out to allow for suction. Sometimes this will be done two or more times to ensure that enough fluid or tissue has been collected.
Once the procedure is complete, the tissues or fluids are smeared and treated and then reviewed by a specialist, usually a pathologist. If cancer is detected, the patient will be notified and treatment can begin immediately. Most cysts turn out to be benign or noncancerous. In these cases, no further treatment may be necessary, although sometimes a particularly large cyst can be surgically removed. Sometimes the doctor may run additional tests if the cyst is thought to be caused by another disease or condition.
Occasionally, patients will receive an anesthetic agent during cyst aspiration, but many times the procedure is less painful than administration of analgesics would be. Some doctors let their patients decide if pain medication will be needed. After the procedure is complete, most patients are able to leave the doctor's office or clinic the same day and may experience mild pain at the injection site.
Cyst aspiration is preferable to the more invasive treatments used to test cysts for cancer and other conditions. The most common is surgery in which the doctor cuts out the entire part of the cyst to retrieve a sample of tissue. This often results in much more pain for the patient and can result in a hospital stay, depending on the size of the cyst and the location.