Analysis of the histopathological artefacts in punch biopsies of the normal oral mucosa.

OBJECTIVES To study the most frequent artifacts of punch biopsies of the healthy oral mucosa, distinguishing between those attributable to the surgical technique and those resulting from sample processing in the laboratory. STUDY DESIGN A total of 186 samples of oral mucosa (dorsal lingual mucosa) were obtained from 186 adult albino rats by the experienced oral surgeons, evaluating the presence of artifacts attributable to the surgical technique (crush, splits, fragmentation, pseudocysts and haemorrhage) and those attributable to sample processing in the laboratory (orientation). RESULTS The distribution of artifacts attributable to the surgical procedure was as follows: crush 16.67%, splits 0%, fragmentation 0%, pseudocysts 1.08% and hemorrhage 0%. The artifacts corresponding to sample processing in the laboratory (orientation) represented 37.63%. CONCLUSIONS The present study shows use of the punch for obtaining biopsies of the healthy oral mucosa to produce few artifacts. In addition, good or poor orientation of the samples is not attributable to the surgical technique but to processing of the samples in the laboratory.