Ask Skeptical Scalpel

The Skeptical Scalpel Institute for Evidence-Based Outcomes and Advanced Research is pleased to announce a new service, Ask Skeptical Scalpel. This feature is now a separate blog and can be found here.

All you need to do is email me, SkepticalScalpel(at)hotmail.com. [Replace (at) with @.] Upon request, names will be withheld from questions that are published.

I will acknowledge your email. Please do not pose your question as a comment on this page. Thank you.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What's the difference between incisional biopsy and excisional biopsy?

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Good question. An incisional biopsy removes only a portion of the mass in question. It is usually done for large masses that would be difficult to completely remove. Obtaining a piece of the mass allows for the diagnosis to be made by a pathologist and for appropriate surgical planning to remove it completely. An excisional biopsy removes the entire mass.