Fine needle aspiration in breast lumps.

Although various devices have been designed to enable the syringe to be held single handed2l 3 4 we have found the "braced thumb method" as described by Webbl56 to be satisfactory. The lump to be aspirated is steadied between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand while a 20 ml syringe with a No. 18 guage (green) needle is held in the right hand. The needle is introduced into the lesion while a strong negative suction is applied by withdrawing the plunger and bracing the thumb against the body of the syringe. Suction is then released, the needle moved to a different part of the lump and the procedure repeated. With fibrous lumps or those which have been previously aspirated, constant suction is obligatory. It is essential that suction is released before withdrawal, otherwise cells will be sucked into the body of the syringe and therefore lost. Local pressure is applied to the aspiration site to prevent bleeding.