Frozen Section Examination of Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas

Abstract Context.—Frozen section of the liver is a comparatively frequent request that most often applies to a relatively limited number of situations. The only indication for frozen tissue examination of a gallbladder with any frequency is the presence of a polypoid mucosal lesion or a suspicious thickening of the gallbladder wall. A variety of intraoperative consultations may be applicable during surgery of the pancreas. Objective.—To examine the indications and pitfalls regarding the gross examination and frozen section performance for liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Data Sources.—Author experience and review of the pertinent literature. Conclusions.—Although indications are relatively straightforward for frozen section of liver and gallbladder, handling of the pancreas specimens for frozen tissue examination is often a cause for a certain degree of anxiety. This situation is the result of a relative rarity of such specimens outside large tertiary referral medical centers coupled with a variety of co...