Needle aspiration biopsy of the pre-epiglottic space

Clinical staging of supraglottic carcinoma requires evaluation of the pre‐epiglottic space (PES). To explore the role of fine needle aspiration biopsy of the PES in the staging of epiglottic carcinoma, endoscopic transvallecular fine needle aspiration biopsies of the PES were performed in 16 patients with epiglottic carcinoma. The results of aspiration cytology were compared with CT scanning and postoperative histopathologic sections of the PES after total or supraglottic laryngectomy. This preliminary report shows that needle aspiration biopsy of the PES is a safe and sensitive technique, having a high correlation with histopathologic follow‐up. Needle biopsy, along with CT scan, is clinically useful in staging the PES, which cannot be examined directly.