It is important that you contact your referring clinician after your aspiration biopsy to obtain a final diagnostic pathology report as well as plan any appropriate follow-up and/or treatment with your physician.
Post Aspiration Biopsy Patient Information
Bruising or tenderness over the biopsy is usually mild and resolves within several days. If painful, you can apply an ice pack for 10-15 minutes each hour and/or take acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, as directed by the manufacturer. If there is rapid swelling or bleeding around the biopsy area, you should call your personal physician immediately. If you have any concerns, questions or comments about your biopsy, please call. Your comments are welcome. The staff at Augusta ENT Ultrasound guided Fine Needle Aspiration Clinic (Augusta ENT USFNA Clinic) strives to make your visit as pleasant as possible. If you have any comments or recommendations, please call and request to speak to Dr. Aggarwal.
Services offered at the Augusta ENT Ultrasound guided Fine Needle Aspiration Clinic
Our FNA doctor uses ultrasound guidance to perform fine needle aspiration biopsies of superficial lesions including thyroid gland, salivary glands, lymph nodes, and other superficial lesions of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, including abdominal fat pad biopsies to rule out amyloidosis. The procedure is fast, has minor or no complications, and often saves patients from having to undergo more invasive procedures for diagnosis.
Patient Rights
- Receive professional, courteous and considerate treatment from your physician and his/her staff with recognition of your dignity and need for privacy.
- Participation in decision-making regarding your healthcare. This includes the right to accept or refuse medical or surgical treatment.
- Have access to a telephone number which patients can use to receive instruction from a physician 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Voice grievances concerning treatment by a provider and/or his/her staff.
Patient responsibilities
- Carry your insurance card at all times in order to be able to present it upon request at each visit.
- Provide to the extent possible information needed by the provider in order to care for the patient. This includes medical conditions, medications, present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations and all other matters relevant to care. In addition, any illness that could be a potential hazard to the provider and/or staff should be reported so that appropriate measures may be taken to protect the provider and/or staff from infections.
- Follow the instructions and guidelines given by the provider.
- Show consideration and respect to the provider(s) and/or staff.
- Make required co-payments and co-insurance payments.
- Seek assistance from your insurance company or health plan administrator concerning specifics of your health plan benefits and specialty services.
PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CELL PHONE USAGE WITH PHONE RINGER TURNED OFF WHILE IN THE FNA PROCEDURE ROOM.
Augusta ENT Ultrasound guided Fine Needle Aspiration Clinic Medical Staff
Gitika Aggarwal, MD, FCAP is Board-Certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and Cytopathology. She completed Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Residency at the Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University) and a Cytopathology Fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Aggarwal is experienced in a broad range of cytopathology procedures including immediate assessment of image-guided/CT-navigational FNAs, body fluid and exfoliative cytology, as well as surgical pathology.
She completed the intensive Ultrasound Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Advanced Practical Pathology Program through the College of American Pathologists and has been performing USFNA procedures for past 3 years.