Neck Lymph node needle biopsy

spookwoman

Have had an enlarged lymph node for over 10 years now and finally got referred to ENT to get it checked out. Already had the ct scan now they want to do a biopsy using needle and ultrasound. The node is located just as the corner of my jaw under the ear. Wondering if anyone else has had this procedure done and what to expect after like pain etc

girl2

Hello. Yes, I had one done - back in January there. My consultant did an ultrasound to have a wee look and then did the biopsy.

Its a very, very, very fine needle and you will feel the needle going in a tiny bit, but no pain worth talking about to be truthful. Its feels like a very slight bit of pressure and then the biopsy is taken.

Biopsy in itself takes only a minute or two.

I was a private patient and had the pathology results within 20 minutes - all very efficient.

Hope it goes well for you OP

EDIT: Mine was about 3" below my right ear, and was an enlarged node as well. There was no real pain after (from what I remember) at all.

spookwoman

Thanks a mill not much info out there on it.

girl2

spookwoman wrote: »

Thanks a mill not much info out there on it.

No, I didnt know what to expect at all really.

Though, very strange for me (and I still, to this day, dont know what it was about) - that evening, a couple of hours after the procedure, I was very very emotional - crying bucketloads......it almost felt as though it was a complete release. Now it could be the fact that I had been worrying subconsciously (although I dont think I was) and the fact my pathology was ok......or something like that. But I can tell you - it was a very strange experience afterwards.

spookwoman

Can imagine have had this for years and its been ignored up until now by everyone. It was dentist that refereed me in the end

girl2

My goodness! I had only noticed mine and mentioned to the GP one day I was in.....it appeared ok, according to the GP and then a few months later I felt that it had gotten bigger, so I definitely wanted it checked.

I seen a different GP the second time and he was having none of it, telling me it was nothing to be worrying about blah blah blah. Well, I was having none of what he was telling me and I demanded that he write me a letter as I have private medical insurance - to which he then agreed to refer me - stating the NHS wouldnt look at me until it was at least 1cm in size (where's preventative measures).

Anyway, got the letter and a few days later had my appt. and all was well. Apparently enlarged nodes are fairly common, so hopefully all will be well with yours.

spookwoman

Sods law mine turned into a bit of a nightmare for the doc doing it. The area was in a lot deeper than standard. 2 jabs of anesthetic alot of rooting around trying to avoid arteries veins and nerves. Doc had to call in backup because he couldnt get past all this. nearly an hour for 5 samples. Had to go off for 30 mins then back to get checked over for bleeding. Tender and swollen at the moment

girl2

Oh no, that sounds like a terrible experience that you had to endure

Were they able to give you any results or indications as to how things looked?

spookwoman

girl2 wrote: »

Oh no, that sounds like a terrible experience that you had to endure

Were they able to give you any results or indications as to how things looked?

They didnt say will prob take a few weeks before I hear anything back

girl2

Well hopefully all goes well. Will keep an eye out here to see if you post a reply when you get the results. Good luck

spookwoman

Well update is that the enlarged lymph node is actually salivary gland and has a benign growth on it. As it was a needle biopsy its not 100%. ENT want it removed as it may turn in a cancer. Better to be safe than sorry. 5% risk of nerve damage but as she said when theres discomfort and pain get it out and better to have the risk then it getting nasty. As it's in a awkward area she's going to talk to someone who knows what they are doing to take it on.
So much for 10+ years of its nothing.

girl2

spookwoman wrote: »

Well update is that the enlarged lymph node is actually salivary gland and has a benign growth on it. As it was a needle biopsy its not 100%. ENT want it removed as it may turn in a cancer. Better to be safe than sorry. 5% risk of nerve damage but as she said when theres discomfort and pain get it out and better to have the risk then it getting nasty. As it's in a awkward area she's going to talk to someone who knows what they are doing to take it on.
So much for 10+ years of its nothing.

Well thank God that it's nothing worse than that. I have thought about you a hundred times, wondering how it went. Yes, you're absolutely right in getting it out and odds could be so much worse than 5% risk.

And it's good that she's going to liaise with someone who has experience in that field.

A massive good luck for the procedure

spookwoman

Thanks a mill. Its a load off my mind in that respect that its being taken seriously and getting sorted

spookwoman

Just an update was meant to go into for a parotidectomy, removal of the whole salivary gland which involves cutting along the ear down to about mid neck on the 3rd May the operation was canceled due to lack of beds now down for the 14th June which I can see it happening again. Waiting this long for tumor removal is ridiculous esp when there is a confirmed growth and fna's not 100%.

murria

Hi Spookwoman, its awful keeping you hanging on like that, I'm sure you are anxious enough without the added wait. My son had a parotidectomy 7 years ago when he was 10 years old. After waiting for a proper diagnosis and getting to the right consultant we were moved through the system very quickly. We were told this was because the chance of malignancy in a child was extremely high, we were also told that the majority of adult parotid gland tumours are benign (hope that is of some comfort to you).

Anyway, his turned out fine, which was a huge relief as it was a pretty scary time for us all. They did a great job putting him back together and you would only notice the scar behind his ear if we told you to look for it, there is a scar in front of his ear too which is practically invisible, like the width of a hair. I found a web site called The Patients Forum which had great information and people very generously shared their before and after pics and their stories.

Hope it goes ahead for you on the 14th so you can get on with it and get over it. If I can help you with anything please ask or feel free to PM me.

Best wishes and healing hugs.

spookwoman

Murria found that same forum as well and its great to talk with others and makes you accept things can happen but its all for the best no matter what. The cancelation wiped me out for about a week had myself all hyped up for the op and when it didnt happen the air went out.
Having problems lately with pain etc and the latest was during the week where i turned my head watching traffic and vision greyed out. Not good when driving.
Fingers crossed a bed will be there for me on the 14th

Dingle_berry

girl2 wrote: »

I was a private patient and had the pathology results within 20 minutes - all very efficient.

Just to let people know its not possible to get the results of a biopsy in 20 minutes regardless of public/private.
Rapid results like that are cytology Fine Needle Aspirates.
A biopsy can be taken at the same time which gives a better picture of what is happening and yields more material for further analysis. But they take 24 hours for an initial report, longer for a full report.

Also regarding public/private very few private hospitals have labs that handle FNAs or biopsies. If they do, the consultants in the labs work there in spare time that they're not in public work.

murria

Hi Spookwoman. Just want to wish you well for Friday, fingers crossed that your procedure goes ahead and that you make a speedy recovery.

Best wishes

spookwoman

Op was cancelled 2nd time. Set for not 21st but they cannot say for 100% that it will go ahead. Kicked up major time about it and now they are saying they are thinking of bringing me on the thursday for chest xray and tests keep me in and operate next day. But even if they do bring me in on thursday can still be sent home friday if emergency comes in. Was wondering about chest xray and see its used to make sure nothing has spread. 9 months now since biopsy and no one can say its 100% benign untill its out.

murria

That's just shocking. I'm not surprised you kicked up. Like I said, we were dealt with very quickly, but even then the anxiety was awful, you must be cracking up. I know you're right that they cant be sure it's benign till its out, but as my husband always says, don't worry until you know what it is you have to worry about.

I'll be thinking of you. Sending you positive, healing thoughts.

KDII

Just in relation to the chest x-ray, often they are a required for the general anesthetic. If you are over a certain age, smoke, have asthma etc. it may just be the policy of the anesthetist to visualize the chest radiograph before the anesthetic. Also a likely pre-requisite of head and neck surgery. Best of luck.

spookwoman

Thank everyone, fingers crossed

spookwoman

Op is over and they got all the growth. Was in very deep. scar looks like frankenstein but its well worth it in the end considering

murria

Thats good news, happy for you. And you will look like Frankenstein, but not for long. It's crazy what's going on inside of us, that we dont know about. Wishing you a very speedy recovery.

adonai

can someone tell me how I can get my under-ear/jaw lymph nodes properly checked? do I require referral from my GP? Or I can go private and do it directly? any places where this can be done in Dublin anyone?